The Superior Quality
by Strife21
Summary: Hermione's summer was hell. Draco is now growing to *love* her, and when he learns of her summer and how she handled it, he became afraid.. will she turn to the dark? Lives are being altered, & love is tested. *Chapter 12: Vintage: True and False..*
1. Thoughts of a boy

  
  


**The Superior Quality**

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¤~¤~¤

Chapter one: 

"You linger like a sweet smell in spring;

never leaving the air around me,

me never wanting to leave your air."

The thoughts of a boy.

¤~¤  
  


Enough brandishing of feelings... couldn't I just wake up and forget all that has gone wrong in my life? This, for example? Despite the fact that I can't help but running thoughts in my mind, I am not made, nor living, for a goal ridiculous as this.   
  


Honestly, admitting to feelings like-this-to.. to.. 'that'; father will kill me! But, why can't I just then avoid it? Why can't I avoid her? Why can't I push it out of my hands and heart, and throw it out the window where it belongs?   
  


Stupid human emotions! Curse my 'human-nature' to fall in love! To always feel ready to fly when she comes near, break into song at her every word, run through hot coals as soon as she enters the room... pathetic!   
  


I, Draco Malfoy, cannot be 'attracted' to that Muggle!! That Mudblood!!   
  


... Damn.. that actually burned my heart to say..   
  


I heave a heavy sigh at my weakness; cursing ever more at my heart. Even if I had to nerve to feel for her, I end up fooling myself in front of her.  
  


Just yesterday, I was walking down the corridor when I nearly fell backwards; someone had bumped into me. I gave a yell, "Watch it, idiot!" - I think I said, and to my surprise, the woman who had bumped into me was none other that Granger.  
  


She gave an apologetic look, almost made me jump in and take the blame myself, but it quickly turned into a smirk. Imagine! Granger, smirking at me mischievously! I was quite baffled at her smart retort, a simple-"Sure, your greatness." And with that, she continued on. I eyed her as she left; a little red of course, but other than that, furious I was!  
  


This strange difference in her attitude has been noticed ever since two weeks ago; when our 7th year in Hogswart had started. I often thought what had caused her to act differently over the summer? Last year, she was still the 'Buck-tooth-Loser', now she was 'Sarcastic-and-psycho-Granger'. Although, she must be thinking that this was a great change to her popularity and attention.   
  


She was no longer threatened by abusive words: such as Mudblood, for she always had a snappy insult to throw back. Insults that he could almost feel, pinning his heart with needles. It was a mistake for him to sneer at her on the first day back. However, I was not aware yet that she had an attitude fix, or that she was going to be my dorm mate for the rest of the year; she was to become a HeadGirl. I was informed over the summer that I was to be HeadBoy.  
  


With our sudden engagement, our surprise as we were both pulled to a private compartment inside the Hogswart Express, I.. I insulted her as she frowned at the sight of me.   
  


What she said back, blew me away. I told her, "My, my, isn't this such a surprise! I'm stuck with dirty, stinky, Mudblood Granger for the whole year. Loads of fun, we'll have."  
  


She replied darkly, "Ouch, that hurt Malfoy. Did that one take you all summer to think up? I bet you picked it up from your father. Have the two of you finally been spending time together? 'Ooh, Daddy! Please teach me all those nasty words you call mum so that I can also be as pessimistic, and deprive women and people below our level!'"  
  


It angered, frustrated, and of course frightened me! After that, I became silent and didn't glance at her once. I kept a strict and hating look, but still, inside, I felt cold and alone.   
  


Damn her wit!  
  


Not only was she now able to retort an even better come-back to all insults, but she was also able to read your soul while she does it. It was like she was trying to lift the dark side of you, the depressed-side, and have it slam straight in your face. She acted rather cruel, to people like Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle.. Me. The whole Slytherin House.   
  


Shocking, her attitude may be, she was still striving to be Top-notch in all classes. She was still receiving A's, passing highly in exams, and still diving through books in the school library. And still, she was very warming, nice, and welcoming; just as long as you don't insult her.   
  


I was very surprised to find out that she had gone outgoing also. She no longer carried a book everywhere with her, but enjoyed the company of her friends. Her friends, Wonder-Boy and Weasel... the two who continually watch over her at all times. It was suspicious, the way they always surround her when they walk out the castle. Perhaps they've also developed a.. crush?  
  


There was no blaming, Hermione.. (how lovely her name rolls off my tongue).. ahem, had grown up quite beautiful. She's no Parvati Patil or Lavender Brown; but no less, she was beautiful. She looked like an innocent country girl, sweet and ever-minding. But 'she' bites. I laugh at my humorous thoughts; how do I come with these things?   
  


Well.. of course this is what I get for staring at her so much. Always having fluffy daydreams and imaginations.   
  


Although, me mentally accepting my 'thing' for her, it was just the pit of the my problem. I have at least thousands more to concoct and solve. Perhaps some other day... right now I just feel like staring at her... below my bedroom window.. oddly standing outside in the rain.. and enjoying the sweet drops of water roll slowly down her face.  
  


How I'd like to run down there and drink the water from her cheeks-her lips, caress them away, and hold her soaked body in my arms.   
  


My wild school-boy fantasies are loose once more. I quickly wiped the growing fog on my window with a swipe, and struggled to look down once more. But my 'object of affection' was no-where in sight. She was not under the willow tree, nor she was outside at all.  
  


I heard a quiet shutting of the portrait door outside my room, I knew then that she had come back. My heart almost leapt. Rushing to my door, I composed myself as I twisted the knob open.  
  


Standing closely by the fire, dripping wet, was Hermione herself.  
  


She glanced a look my way, and instantly, in my surprise at her quick reflex, I gave an insult.  
  


"Taking a shower, are we?" Damn! Damn, damn, damn!! Why am I such an ass?  
  


I watched her face give a light smile.  
  


"S'pose you could say that.." she said softly.  
  


It was a close one, I was lucky enough to have caught her in her sarcastic moods today. I don't know why, but every time I get a chance to speak to her-in hoping for deep conversation-I end up giving her insults, retorts, and threats. Even if she would sometimes strike back with her own, it nonetheless held me back to throw more.   
  


Maybe it was my 'other' side.. trying to fight back feelings? If so, this 'side' definitely wasn't going to let me have a chance to change the conversation.  
  


Still, we both were, and kept an awkward silence between us. I was too busy studying her once again. Her hazel eyes were now peering into the fireplace, its flames dancing in her eyes. Her long, black witch dress, clinging to every curve of her body; exposing more of it than I'd seen before. I felt a rush of heat in my cheeks, ogling her like that made me feel like a pervert. Her damp hair, clung the sides of her face.   
  


It was no longer bushy, as it was a long time ago. Since 5th year, she had grown it longer-down to her waist-and straightened out a little. Straight along the front and back, and then curls at the ends. It was also sleek and shiny; so much I had wanted to toy with it.  
  


Determined to end the quiet, I thought quickly of her still standing there, wet.   
  


"Dry yourself, Granger. Didn't you know showering in the rain can give you a cold, you nitwit Mudblood?" I sneered at her! Why can't I control the way I talk to her? Other than that, I called her 'that' name. I swear I felt my tongue burn slightly from it.  
  


Turning her attention back at me, her eyes burning through mine, she kept her smile.  
  


"Worried, Malfoy? I thought you'd rather see me in my deathbed?" she said rather.. surely. I was worried of course, no use denying it, I'd rather not see her ill in the next few days. But her little question about me rather seeing her in her deathbed, it was a little insulting; Am I that closely related to my father? Do people think 'surely' that I'd grow up like him?  
  


Now I was eyeing her, annoyed. I gritted my teeth, why? I don't know, for sure, but I knew I was bringing out the bad side of me.  
  


"Of course I'd rather see you in your deathbed. Don't hesitate to invite me when you are." .. dammit.. there goes my inflicted side again.  
  


However, she wasn't looking at me with pure distaste, instead she forced a sarcastic smile, and turned towards the door to her room. She stopped as she stepped in and turned her head to the side.  
  


"You'll be first on my invitation list, Malfoy, don't worry." she said in a 'sing-song' voice. I tell you, I think she had gone mad.  
  


As she disappeared inside her door, I was a bit angry. Angry at myself, at her, and of course the little time we had to talk.  
  


I leaned against my door frame, feeling like I could run around the room in frustration. Stupid me for creating such a devious, uncaring side. Well.. it wasn't really me who created it, rather it was my father. 

Damn him, then! Him and his obsession with the Dark Lord.   
  


... How is the 'Voldemort's reign' going, you ask?  
  


It has been at least 3 years ever since the news the Voldemort was once again, at large. My father, the ass-kissing Death Eater he is, of course plays a very big part for him. I don't know much of the details, I try avoiding the subject as much as I can, but there have been numerous murders since then. Mostly murders of Muggles, and Muggle-Lovers.   
  


Though I fear; what if Hermione was attacked? I shudder to think that day would come, how would I take it exactly? My father would probably be celebrating, laughing, with his fellow Death Eaters. The man has no soul...  
  


But I was relieved, as long as she was here in Hogswart, she was safe. That ding-bat, Professor Dumbledore, is still here and as long as he's here-everyone says this-no will get hurt. And I guess, as long as I'm here, I can also watch out for her...  
  


Then again, you never know if anyone's here that isn't very trustful. Snape, for example: he was a Death Eater along with my father, but I recently understood that he had converted sides and was now working as a spy for Dumbledore. Snape must be very courageous, to stab Voldemort in the back like that.   
  


Enough of that shit.. it's almost dinner time. The door across me burst open, revealing a 'now-dry' Hermione in another simple black, witch dress. Had I been standing here long? I snapped back to reality as she oddly looked to me.   
  


"Hey, want to start heading to hall?" she spoke curiously, maybe a bit hesitant.  
  


I almost leapt up, had she asked me accompany her to the Great Hall? I blinked a couple of times before grunting out, "What?"  
  


"I said," she looked crossly now, "Do you want to start heading over to the Great Hall? I'm going now, would you like to come?" she ended it with a cross of her arms on her chest.  
  


Easy now, Draco, don't throw an insult to anger her again. So I nodded, not trusting my mouth to respond.   
  


I followed her as she began to walk towards the portrait door; she swung it open. We both stepped outside, the portrait swinging closed behind us, and started to make it down the steps.   
  


There she was, walking in a highly-fashion, beside me; the sweet scents of oceanic breeze sweeping from her direction. We were quiet, although I would love to say something, but as far trusting myself, I didn't. 

It seemed like hours of nerve-racking silence, until we reached our destination. With a quick smile she headed to her table, leaving me walk to mine, glaring back at her (although I was very taken with her quick smile). How I hate these feelings, wishing they would already pass.  
  


... but then again, I wouldn't mind them sticking by for a little longer.   
  


And so I give up, I admit it (just to myself, of course), I 'fancy' Hermione Granger. I want her.. in every way possible.   
  


Mostly not for the thought you are thinking of. Honestly, everyone's been acting like that though. Stupid, really... but then I suppose it's the hormones' fault. Raging hormones, intriguing little devils. I could name a couple of seventh and sixth years right off the bat, who had done 'it' already. I trust you'd found out what 'it' means.. if not, I meant sex. Yes, yes, the I said it, the evil word.   
  


Disgusting, people who sleep with numerous partners. Prostitution, in school no less, except it's free as long as it's willing.   
  


Just as I thought of that, I shuddered as I recognize who sat beside me. Seductively, she wrapped her arms around my neck, and gave me a small peck on the cheek.   
  


"Draco-baby, how are you today? Is Mudblood Granger being a bitch again?" it was none other than Pansy-Pug face-Parkinson. I pried her off of me, and glanced at her coldly. To my pleasure, she held herself back in fear.   
  


She gave a scowl, "What's the wrong?" she asked suspiciously, sliding a bit of affection in her tone.  
  


"You." I wanted to say, but instead: "Nothing."   
  


At first she looked as if she was going to attach herself to me again, so I coldly warned her with my eyes. She gave a huff and walked towards her so-called friends, finally leaving me in peace.   
  


That bitch, she thinks she could gloat and cling around me just because my mum knows hers. And her constant bickering of Hermione, I couldn't take. Ever since the day she was told off by Hermione, she began spreading lies and jokes about her. I would laugh at her face, if Hermione ever found out, because then, she'd be ridiculed far worse.  
  


Ah... how much I would love to witness that.  
  


Forgetting that for now, I sit impatiently in my seat, forking the food in front of me. Crabbe and Goyle had just entered the room, both now on either side of me. They were talking in mere grunts and whines. I wasn't really paying any attention, although they I was. Good thing they weren't asking questions, or else I wouldn't know what to answer.   
  


I'm relishing thoughts now.. wanting to be back in my dorm with 'her'. At least try to summon up the courage to engage in a formal and-actually-nice conversation. I wasn't ready though, I was still fighting feelings inside.   
  


Love her-leads to telling her-leads to.. her hating me? This is one prediction.  
  


Hate her-leads to denial-leads to possible growing up as a crooked man full of grouchiness and spite? A second prediction.  
  


Love her-leads to telling her-leads to possible return of affections-but can lead to me being defamed and shunned by my father...   
  


Damn... I'll just think about it later.   
  
  
  


*¤~¤~¤~¤~¤*

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Author's notes: 

I hope you enjoyed the fic. A bit dramatic, but nonetheless sensible.

This fic will continue a little bit more like this, and might also be dark

in later chapters. I'm really hoping I can get it to be very deep and angsty,

but that won't be until later on in the chapters. By the way, the little poem

excerpt is from my original work, so I own it (the plot also).

However, I do not own the Harry Potter characters. I hope you'd figured that

out earlier. J.K. Rowling, you need to get that 5th book out! 


	2. The Sincerity of a boy; will she forgive...

  
  


**The Superior Quality**

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¤~¤~¤

Chapter two:

"My lips run on its own..

my mind taking it hostage..

my heart cowers away."

Sincerity of a boy; will she forgive?

¤~¤

Today is our first day visiting Hogsmeade, of the whole year. Being both HeadGirl/Boy, Hermione and I have been paired to escort the third years for their very first visit. She didn't look too happy about it, not as happy as other girls would be, paired up with me.  
  


I was delighted to know that I may have a chance to converse with her. So as we stepped onto the cobblestones of Hogsmeade, I strode along with her, trying to think up a good topic to talk about. The weather maybe? Nah, too boring. After the rain yesterday, it was still a little misty around the low grounds, and the breeze was fresh and cool.   
  


Hmm.. how about those little critters Hagrid brought for Care for Magical Creatures class? Nah, she'd probably think I was trying to say something bad about Hagrid and turn our conversation into something I wouldn't like.   
  


Then what?  
  


I turn to my side, where she was walking at; she was pointing to the numerous shops around the sidewalks, telling the herd of kids behind us what the stores hold and contain inside them. The kids of course, couldn't wait to be freed so they could check them out. I noticed, as I looked behind me, that there was a certain young man following closely behind her, a wicked look in his face.  
  


After glancing back in front of me, I heard a loud yelp from Hermione. I quickly turned my neck to see why, only to spot her rubbing her ankle furiously and eyeing the boy (who was behind her) as he ran to the back of the crowd.   
  


"What's wrong?" I asked her, seeing that we had stopped our walking. She looked up at me, softening her face.  
  


"That stupid git! He did it again!" she sounded as she was bellowing it out; and it turned a couple of heads to us,"First, it was before we got here! Now, he's doing it again!" After her raves, she forced herself through the herd and grabbed the boy. He was short for his age, a little skinny, with hair almost like the Weasel's.  
  


Angrily, she pushed him up to the front, where I stood, and glared down to him, "Listen you annoying little rat! Do that again and I'll turn you into the little booger that you are!" I was aghast at her threat. I looked down at the boy, who looked as if he wasn't easily scared with her, and stomped on her foot with one quick blow.  
  


Hermione shot up in pain, her eyes burning more in rage. Annoyed with the boy's manners, I pulled him aside by the collar of his sweater. I looked down at him coldly, "Little devil, aren't you? Listen here, twit, apologize now."  
  


The boy cowered a bit, but stiffened, "No! I won't apologize to that!"   
  


That? Who the hell does he think he is, calling her a 'that'?!   
  


"She is HeadGirl, you little twit, in case you haven't noticed. What House are you held in?" I spat venomously to him.  
  


"Slytherin." the boy quivered; maybe he was beginning to take me seriously?  
  


"Apologize now, or I will take 50 points off of Slytherin."   
  


"You wouldn't!! I-It's your House also!" the boy said quickly.   
  


I shook my head and chuckled, "Of course it is, but it's not going to be my fault when they find out who lost 50 points off his own House." The boy held his breath and hesitated. He looked up at Hermione then back at me.  
  


"I won't apologize to that Mudblood!" he shouted stiffly. Right then, it looked as if everyone in Hogsmeade stopped and gasped. I looked down the boy in anger, then looked up to Hermione; her face holding shock and disbelief. I scrambled up in front of her; she was looking as if she was ready to cry.  
  


Her eyes were rimming with tears, desperately wanting to be freed, "Granger?" I asked her cautiously. She looked up at me at the sound of her name, her face kneeding with hurt. I furrowed my brows at the boy, who was now looking up at me with guilt.  
  
  
  


Hermione was going to cry, I knew it. Everybody in my year knows that she could easily breakdown when pushed to the limit. I guess being refused to be apologized because she was Muggle, from a little kid no less, was too much for her to bare. So immediately, I took control.  
  


I noticed that the Three Broomsticks was nearby, "Everyone, we're going to take a short break over there." I pointed to it and began walking. A hand behind Hermione, I urged her to start walking again. When we reached the Three Broomsticks, I gave the bartender enough Galleons to pay for the whole third years' butterbeer.   
  


After that, I lead Hermione to corner table near the window. I ushered her to a seat, while I sat across from her; she was still looking depressed.  
  


She was looking dark, hopeless, as she stared down at the table, trying not to make eye contact with me. Why? I stared at her with compassion, doesn't she see that I actually care about what she may be feeling? I opened my mouth, only to find them close again. What was I going to say? I didn't know but I had to say something.  
  


"Listen, that kid back there," I started softly, "He's just a kid, don't even bother with him."  
  


I didn't seem to help, as soon as I finished saying that, tears started fall down her eyes. She wiped them quickly though, I guess to save her the embarrassment from me. I stood up, and slid myself beside her, shielding her from eyes that followed her in from the outside. This was all my fault, I knew it from deep down. Who else had made the trend of calling her Mudblood?  
  


Nothing I could do as I sat beside her, except watch her weep in silence. She kept her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking at every muffled sob. I reached a hand on her back, grateful that she did not move away, and began to slowly reassure her. She whispered something, something I couldn't hear but wanted to.   
  


With my other hand, I took a hold of hers and slowly pulled them away from her face. She reluctantly moved them away, still avoiding eye contact. Her eyes had began to grow red and puffy, and her cheeks were flushed warmly in pink. Streaks of her tears made noticeable marks down her chin. She gave a deep breath.  
  


"You okay?" I asked her carefully; my other hand still caressing her back. She nodded, wiped her face with the sleeve of her dress-something like a six year old would do. I smiled at her softly, "Listen, don't take that boy seriously. That little ass is getting detention from me, okay?"  
  


She looked at me wondrously and skeptically, I could tell she wanted to say some kind of harsh come-back. Probably something about me, the name Mudblood, and the Slytherin House. But she kept her mouth shut, still looking at me with those eyes. I held my breath, waiting for her to say something, anything.   
  


It was rather nice though, the silence between us that time. It gave me an opportunity to admire her face, her eyes, her lips, closely. I reached up to her face and smoothed out one tear-stricken cheek with a thumb. She closed her eyes faintly, then they fluttered open to me again. Her hazel eyes, they were gorgeous, and slowly I was getting drowned by them.  
  


I'm not sure how much time had passed, but I did the most unthinkable. After taking her face in one of my hands, I bent down slowly to her face. Our eyes still locked together, they began their descent. She drew in a ragged breath as my lips were falling to hers. I opened my lips partly, and swear I saw her do the same. She closed her eyes, I followed suit, as our lips touched.  
  


My lips burning with pleasure, my mouth watering for more that just lips. I slipped my tongue, licking her lips hungrily; she was sweet. I forced my tongue inside through her lips gently. For a minute-maybe more-I was kissing her until I slowly pulled away.  
  


I gazed at her, she was red-faced as I was, and speechless. I didn't realize I was actually kissing her until after I kissed her. Trying to catch my breath from that electrifying kiss, I struggled to say an apology. An apology for doing it. I knew I had invaded her. She was going to go ballistic on me any minute now.  
  


Her shocked eyes dimmed at me; she mouthed some words, I couldn't understand what she said. I shook my head and frowned, I didn't know what she was trying to tell me. She frowned also, moved away from my presence, and huddled near the window. She was upset.. her face showed it.   
  


I violated her.  
  


Now, here I was sitting a fair distance away, watching her stare blankly out the window. I combed my hair back, feeling its smoothness between my fingers, and sighed. I had done a dumb thing. I had followed behind lust. More over, she was now upset at me. I knew it, from the feeling I got when I kissed her. She did not kiss me back, one measly move, that was all she did.   
  


Was she afraid? Or did she hate? I turned forward on my seat, and looked around trying to think hard about what I had just done. I spotted the orange-headed boy who had called Hermione, Mudblood, and refused to apologize. He was still looking at me with guilt. I directed him to come over, and he nervously did. I told him to sit across from me. He did, occasionally peering over where Hermione sat, he was looking more guilty.   
  


I spoke to him softly, "Apologizing yet?" my voice was a bit rusty but I cleared my throat. The boy bowed his head in shame, and nodded.   
  
  
  


"Um.." he was beginning to say, turning his head towards Hermione. She looked up to him, "I'm sorry for.. calling you M-Mudblood, Ms. Granger." he was a bit shaky, but I was glad that it brought a smile to Hermione's lips.  
  


"It's okay, usually I wouldn't cry all over it like that.." she spoke directly, not a fault in her voice. The boy turned red and nodded again. He stood up swiftly and left the table.  
  


I almost had a heart attack when her voice spoke to me.  
  


"Why did you do that?" she asked.   
  


I turned to her blankly, "The boy needed to apologize."  
  


"No, no not that. I meant why did you.. did you.." she was stuttering, but I knew what she meant.   
  


I gave her a shrug, "To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure why." I lied; with good reason. I wasn't going to go blurt about my feelings for her right now. Remember, I'm still in thought.  
  


She gestured her mouth, saying 'Oh' silently. There was a momentary pause before she said something else, that made me want to laugh; "Don't do that ever again, or I'll take points off of your House."  
  


So I did laugh, since it was a really odd response. I laughed hard, and I saw her join me. Both of us laughing our asses over something we couldn't quite explain. Now their were eyes at the two of us again; they probably think we were mad.  
  


We stopped, after a while, and looked at each other smiling. She eyed me sternly, and I noticed she was waiting for my answer, "Okay, I won't do it again." I held my hands in front of me, and smirked, "Unless, you know, if you wanted to."  
  


I could see her smirk back at me, her eyes glittering still with laughter, "Whatever..." she said back with a grin. She looked above the seat for a minute then turned back to me, "Are you sure you don't know why you kissed me?" her voice was playful, teasing. Was she trying to get me flushed?  
  


I grinned back at her, "There's got to be a reason... I just don't know it.. yet."  
  


She rolled her eyes at me and bit her lower lip, "Do you want to be friends.. Malfoy?" she asked slowly.   
  


I was shocked to hear her call out my name; but forget that, was she asking me if I wanted to be friends with her?  
  


I searched her eyes; she was serious. Because of my cold-hearted attitude, I responded, "Befriend a Muggle? Ha!" I knew what I was doing, I was trying to deny all this. In fear that today would be the day I would be defamed and humiliated. Really, who would ever think that she and I were to be good friends? I had made the reputation of hating all Muggles, especially her. She was always higher than me in grades; father would lecture me on why me, a pureblood, can't get higher than her, a Muggle.   
  


Now I was given the choice to be her friend. The whole Slytherin House would laugh at me, nevertheless, shun me from them. Then who am I to be friends with? The Weasel and Potty?   
  


I noticed her whole facade change into bitterness; she gave me a cold stare, "You're such a stuck-up bastard, aren't you?" Our once enjoying little chat was now turning into a battle of sarcasm and spite.  
  


"Bastard? Oooh, I didn't know you've already passed this stage. You've grown out of your mother's womb, eh?" I had to admit, starting this was childishly stupid, but that's me.. I guess.  
  


"If you were smart," she was now propped up in front of me, "which you aren't by the way, you'd know that I had grown out of my mother's womb years ago. It's humanly impossible not to." she was fighting back with her bookish snapbacks. She was tampering with my last nerve; I snapped.  
  


"Read that in a book, did you? How about this.. why don't you read a book that actually helps you become popular, Granger, so you won't be such a looser at school?" I figured this ought to do it, but her tone annoyed me more.  
  


"You know," she taunted as she looked up thoughtfully, "I haven't seen a book like that at Hogwarts, but if I do, I'll be sure to lend it to you next."   
  


"Listen, I take it back! You deserved that name, 'Mudblood', and I think it was un-just for that boy to have to apologize to you!"  
  


It was silent after that. She eyed me in hate, "Fine! Be the bastard you are!" she stood up in a huff, her eyes rimming with a new fresh of tears, "I asked you nicely if you'd like to maybe form a truce, a friendship, because I thought you had changed!  
  


"You comforted me, and I actually thought that it was plain nice of you to do!! You-you even..... agh, I'm just going to skip that!" she was enraged and yelling at me now. She was standing in front of me; once again, eavesdropping eyes at us. I looked up at her, almost ready to interrupt and just say sorry.  
  


"But I forgot you're Mr. Draco Malfoy, all high and mighty; I forgot you're impossible! I forgot that you'll soon be killing Muggles for a living!! I forgot that you're insane, cold, evil, vile, cruel, crude of a man!!" her face was red, her eyes were slit, the corners of her mouth quivering. Without giving me a chance to speak back, without saying one more word, she ran out of the Three Broomsticks, heading towards Hogwarts.  
  


Being the 'bastard' I was, I sat still in my seat, trying to ignore the harsh whispers that the room now carried around. Even the herd of third years bustled out of the place, some I saw heading back to Hogwarts, some running deeper in Hogsmeade, ready to tell the nearest person about what they saw Draco Malfoy do to Hermione Granger.  
  


Today was supposed be good, and for a while it was.... what the hell happened?

¤~¤

It was a strain, having to put up with the whole mess earlier today, during dinner. I looked up from my seat and noticed that Hermione wasn't in her usual spot between Wonder-Boy and Poor-Weasel. Although I did catch them staring at me in disgust; that just made me smirk at them, triumphantly.   
  


Of course, by this time, everyone knew about the little incident down in The Three Broomsticks. Everyone was eyeing me with pure hate; everyone except the whole Slytherin table of course. Which, by the way, threw a celebration for me; hollering shouts of favorism, rewards, admiration, I had to accept them with a proud face.   
  


Though, I knew I had been cruel, just as all the others knew. I noticed that I wasn't eating much, my plate was still a bit full. I couldn't eat; not when all this guilt was choking my throat. I blew it, the chance to prove that I wasn't such a bad guy. Why do I always expose the side I would rather not, to her? Is it some kind of sick ego-boost I get from making her breakdown and fear me? Is it some kind of rush that I get whenever I spit in her face and humiliate her?   
  
  
  


I stopped thinking of the reason because.. they made me feel like a sick, abusive, psycho. I disappointingly prodded my steak, I'm beginning to worry. Worry of how I should face her tonight. I did share a dorm with her, and that's where she was probably at. Unless Parvati and Lavender had already asked her to stay with them; thinking it would be best to stay away from me as far away as possible.  
  


Still, even if she wasn't there tonight, she'll still be around Hogwarts. I'll eventually see her in class on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, et cetera.   
  


I began to think, what if I hadn't fallen for her? I wouldn't be stressing over this; instead I'd be planning for my next attack. So much easier it would be if I was still the little Slytherin with no spine. Maybe I'll make myself turn back to my old self? After all, I'd still have power, and I don't have to bother with apologies to any threats and sneers I say to anybody.  
  


No! I can't do that.. I can't turn back now. Feeling things like this was something new to me, I can't give up, because I know I could do this. I can handle anything.  
  


.... I can handle this..

¤~¤

In front of me.. her door.  
  


She was inside, I had heard Lavender say that she had refused the offer to stay with her, answering that she was able to handle it herself.   
  


So now I'm paused, not moving-actually hesitating-to knock. It was silent, nothing made a sound except the crackling of the fireplace. Staring at her mahogany door-the only thing blocking my contact with her-I lifted my knuckle to it and rapped twice.  
  


Nothing happened, she didn't respond. I tried again, harder than before, and this time I heard shuffling of feet; she was moving towards the door.  
  


"Go away." said a soft voice through the smooth wood before me.   
  


"I," I paused, "I want to talk to you."

  
  


"Why? Just so you could tell me off again? Just go away!" she was now demanding it. I scoffed; here I was, trying to have a decent talk, and she refuses. So what this means is that I actually have to 'beg'.. to her. Can my life get any worse?

  
  


"Hey, I just want to talk, all right? Now get out here," I took a deep breath; I can't believe I'm actually going to get use this word, "please?"

  
  


Instantly the door clicked open, and out peered Hermione from a darkened room. She looked pale, almost ill; red-eyed, she gazed at me, "'Please'? That's a new one. Did it hurt to say?"

  
  


"If I said yes, would you come out?" I eyed her in warning, she nodded; I said yes. Slowly, she went through her door, brushed pass me, and sat herself down on the nearby sofa. I followed her and sat on the sofa, across from hers.

  
  


She was wasn't as paled as I thought she looked in the darkness, which was good; but she held a begrudging face. She kept her eyes at her knees, her lips together, and her hands in front of her. Suddenly, I got nervous; feeling like this can wait for another day or two. I grumbled to myself and had brought her eyes to mine as I did.

  
  


"What?" she asked hurriedly, "Why was it you dragged me out here?"

  
  


Well, there's no turning back now, "I'm.. sorry." she seemed shocked but I continued on, "I'm sorry for what happened in Hogsmeade today, I didn't mean it. I am to blame, I agree. I'm very sorry, and I hope I can take your offer to befriend you." I said that a little fast, and waited there, eager for her response. Instead, she just sat there, bewildered and possibly confused.

  
  


"Did you hear me?" I asked softly; she nodded.

  
  


"I wasn't sure if it was real, though." she said bluntly, "Why change now? Why take the blame now? Are you finished basking in your glories, or is this another prank to get Mudblood-Granger?"

  
  


I shook my head and glared at her, "Can't you just take my apology? Stop asking questions. Don't you trust anyone?"

  
  


"Of course, there are those who I trust!" she waved her hand up in the air with her words, "But you? I have reasons why I can't trust you!"

  
  


"What? Because I'm the son of a Death Eater? Because I happen to come from a family who hates Muggles?" I looked at her angrily, not like I had done the past years, this time it was caring and soft, "Okay, sorry for being the son of a Death Eater! Sorry that my family hates Muggles! There, are you happy? I've already apologized about them!"

  
  


Cautiously, she studied my face, "That's not my reasons, because those reasons, you haven't the power to alter. It isn't your fault that you are that way." 

  
  


Her words struck me like a brick; waves of admiration passed me. Why? Because she read me like an open book! But I shook that away for later, right now I was curious to what 'reasons' she was referring to, "So.. what is it about me that makes you not trust me?"

  
  


I watched her mouth open to speak, "My reasons are this; you've never, once in the whole time I have known you, told anyone off when they called me Mudblood." she paused a minute and frowned, "Except this morning, with that boy. I actually thought you were really nice, which you have to be grateful of because usually I wouldn't say you were 'really nice' at your first sign of kindness. Anyways, that little gesture backfired didn't it?"

  
  


"Yes. But now, I am offering you another gesture. Pleading, almost; so take it." I crossed my arms in front of me, "Take it forget what has happened in the past, and I will forget it also." she dropped her jaws in disbelief.

  
  


"Forget that you 'honored' me with the nickname Mudblood?! Forget that you try and try to kill my friends?! Forget that you constantly teased me because of my background?!" she stood up and scoffed, "Tell me, how would I sit here, accept your apology, and forget all those things that made me feel like a damned nobody?" she looked at me with blazing eyes.

  
  


I stood up also, my voice wavering a bit of anger and guilt, "If I could, I would go back in time to change all that! Under the influence of my father, it was the only kind of treatment I knew to give to a Muggle! I've grown out of my father's grasp, because he's too busy kissing Lord Voldemort's ass, and I realized that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to be like that to you; to Muggles! Believe it or not, I have a sub-conscience!" 

  
  


We were looking at each other, without our eyes moving to anything else in the room except the others'. I gave a sigh and calmed my breathing down, "And what were you thinking, Granger? Asking me to befriend you, like you were ready to give me a second chance, that I realized I'd like to take."

  
  


"Before I even think about letting you be my friend," I held my breath as I patiently listened to her voice speaking again, "be honest and tell me if this is another sick joke, right now. There's too much things in my life right now, that I'm trying to handle, so if you're just going to 'play me around' for laughs, just tell me now and I'll brush it off like it never happened."

  
  
  
  


I looked at her with sincerity, "I'm not toying with you... Hermione. I want to be a friend."

  
  


It was a staggering five minutes before my heart leaped at her answer. She was going to give me a second chance. Smiling foolishly, I moved to sit beside her; enjoying the odd gaze she was giving me, "You hungry?" I asked politely. Hehe... didn't think I could do that, did you?

  
  


She thought for a minute, still skeptical, but smiled lightly at me; her pink lips curving at the corners, "Yeah..."

  
  


I smiled back, stood up and offered a hand, and she took it without a moment to even think. Her palm burning in mine, she looked at me kindly,

  
  


"Okay."

*¤~¤~¤~¤~¤*

* * *

Author's Notes: 

Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter! I'm sorry, I didn't get time to list the names down but I'll make sure I do that in the next chapter ^_^. Anyways, this is the beginning of Hermione and Draco's friendship, and will start getting deeper in the plot. We are now leaving the Draco P.O.V. and will now be directed to 3rd person view, starting with chapter 3. I promised darkness, and the story is getting there. Hope you enjoyed this really long chapter!

Also, sorry I kinda slipped up with the Hogwarts and Hogswart... er butterfingers.. won't happen again ^_^;


	3. Love's first game; the spinning bottle

  
**The Superior Quality**   


* * *

  
¤~¤~¤   
Chapter Three:

_"My wrists flick; it spins.___

_Fast, it spun, until it slowly slowed down..___

_and stopped in front of you."_

Love's first game; the spinning bottle.   
¤~¤ 

It had been almost a week since the agreement between Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger had taken it's affect. Both now, were close as friends, as if they have been eversince their first year in Hogwarts. 

Their unspeakable friendship, calmed both hearts, but enraged many of the people in their own Houses, and baffled the other two. 

In the Gryffindor House, Ron and Harry continously asked their friend if she was beginning to go mad, or if she had simply lost it. Even with all their bickering about 'her trusting the enemy', Hermione managed to knock some sense into them. Knowing she was right, Harry and Ron both agreed to not to speak of it again; unless of course, Draco would try to threaten or hurt her in any way. Still, the two did not try to befriend Draco Malfoy. 

In the Slytherin House, many members spoke doubtedly about Draco. Pansy had been the angriest of the bunch; swearing she would some day 'get Granger'. Crabbe and Goyle, however, did not really go against Draco's choice to be friends with a Muggle; perhaps they were a little bit slow in the head. Still, even if his whole House looked at him as a traitor, Draco still had power over them. They cooperated with his demand that the name 'Mudblood' was no longer prohibited, as well as name-calling any Muggle-born. 

As for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, both remained quiet with the turn-of-events. Not sure if it is just a hallucination, or if the two were under some sort of spell. 

The teachers, however, seemed very calm about it. Except for Snape, who tried to make theories and predictions as to why one of his Slytherin members would actually agree to be friends with a Muggle; a Gryffindor no less. 

The October days of Hogwarts seemed to go along just fine. Even with Voldemort already attacking with his army outside in the Wizarding world, Hogwarts couldn't be more peaceful. 

Until one Sunday evening... 

¤~¤ 

"I still think you've gone crazy, Hermione, hanging around that Slytherin scum." Ron spurted out in the middle of the chess game he and Harry was in, "I don't know why you do." 

Hermione gave a glare, "He hasn't tried anything funny for almost a week. He seems to be keeping his word; why are you so edgy? It's not like I'm marrying Draco." 

Ron's ears hinted red, and Harry gave a sour look. 

"Don't even joke about that." Harry eyed her. 

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Well I'll stop if only you two would actually 'try' to be friendly with him. He's trying to be, with you guys." 

"Yeah, like tripping me in the hall yesterday was friendly." Ron blew his lips. 

"He said sorry!" Hermione pointed out. 

"After the whole hallway laughed at me!" Ron backfired, "What a good friend he is." 

Crossing her arms in front of her, Hermione leaned back on her seat and pouted, "You guys just have to spend time with him, he isn't as bad as you guys think." 

Harry moved his rook then looked at Hermione; a realization struck him, "I forgot that you two share a dorm.. now I'm even more worried!" 

Ron heard his words and suddenly stood up, almost knocking the chess board from the table, "That's right!" he looked down at Hermione carefully, "What exactly do you do when you 'spend time' with Malfoy?" 

"Draco." Hermione corrected. 

"Whatever! Now answer my question!" Ron, fumed like a mother would to her adolescent daughter, dawned a look of both anger and jealousy in his face. 

Hermione raised a brow at him skeptically, "Nothing, really... maybe read some books; talk.. what's it got to do with you?" 

"Nothing? I think you're lying!" red-faced Ron shouted; it was a good thing the Gryffindor common room was empty at the time, or else a crowd would have been already forming around them. 

Harry sighed, "Ron, this is Hermione we're talking about; she reads books for fun." he stood up beside Ron and tried to make him calm down, "What are you getting at anyways? It's like you're thinking that Hermione's doing... 'things' with Draco in secret or something." Harry turned red at his words. 

Hermione gave a chortled laugh that increased into loud ones. Both boys looked at her, confused and intimidated; _What does Hermione and Draco do together?_

Seeing her friend's expression, Hermione sighed in disbelief, "There's nothing wrong with reading and talking! That's all we do, honestly, you two.." She almost jumped out of her seat when both faces zoomed into hers. 

"You're not lying are you?" Harry asked worriedly. 

"There isn't anything going on between you two, right?" Ron's tone was more determined. 

"I'm not lying, and there isn't anything going on between us!" Hermione's cheeks hinted pink, "I can't believe you actually think I would do that! If you guys are so worried, then come over our dorm tonight and see for yourself." 

It wasn't until that evening that Hermione regretted saying that. 

¤~¤ 

It was quiet, annoyingly quiet. The kind that seem to last forever; the kind that pounds you in the head over and over, and every expression in the faces of the people were clearly shown through the silence. It was both nerve-racking, and awkward. 

As the light of the fire flickered across the room, Hermione bit her lip anxiously, wishing someone, anyone, would speak up. Instead, she sat there, nervously eyeing Harry and Ron glaring at the person beside her. _Why did she start this anyways?_

Finally, someone had started a conversation; Draco spoke up, "So tell me, what deed did I do to earn the grace of Wonder Boy and his sidekick?" 

Hermione vocal chords went tight, Draco had spoken in a sneering tone; not at all cordial. Her eyes quickly shot to the other end of the room; Harry and Ron were now clenching their teeth. 

"Be nice, Draco." Hermione murmured. 

"I'm trying my hardest." he said through his teeth, "You're easy to be friendly with.. but with them?" Draco shook his head. 

Hermione blushed at his comment, but quickly shook it off. Looking over to her friends on the other couch, Hermione gestured them to say something. 

"So... what's the deal Malfoy? Why are you friends with Hermione?" Harry was the first to speak out of the other side of the room. 

Draco smirked, "Well.. why are you?" he said coolly. 

Harry turned red, "I asked first!" 

"What do you think is my reason?" Draco kept his smirk. 

"I think you're doing it as an act!" Ron was now standing up, furious again. 

"I don't think so, Weasley." Draco stared coldly at Ron, "Whatever you're thinking, you might as well tuck back in that little brain of yours." 

Ron's ears went red; he turned his eyes to Hermione, "See! He isn't friendly at all." 

Hermione stood up, "Well maybe if you guys would find something better to talk about, other than question his motives, Draco would be friendly." 

Draco stood up beside her and smiled, "You're such a good buddy!" 

"Yah, I know!" Hermione replied before both Draco and her started to laugh. 

Once again, Harry and Ron were left out, staring at the two in confusion and intimidation. Other than that, both never heard Draco laugh so heartedly. His laughs almost sounded evil; it was a little frightening. 

Ron, boiling his jealousy out of his ears, rushed in between Hermione and Draco, interrupting their laugh. Draco faced Ron; a crooked smile in his lips. 

"Excuse you." Draco said, "What is it now?" 

Sputtering words that no-one in the room understood, Ron looked like he was doing a one-man circus act. He waved his arms in anger and frustration, jumped up and down his spot, and jerked his head around a couple of times. Hermione crossed her arms at him in disappointment, and tugged him beside her by the collar. Ron didn't resist her tug. 

"Ron! Shut up!" Hermione told him, "I don't know what you're saying, but just knock it off! Why can't you at least try? For me, please?" She watched as Ron's face softened at her; he nodded his head and grumbled. She then looked behind him and to Harry, who also nodded. 

Draco, a little amused that Hermione acts so much like a mother to them, couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Bad idea. 

"You too, Draco." Hermione turned to him with a quick snap of her neck, "You have to try also!" 

"Yeah, yeah.." Draco answered indifferently. All three; Ron, Hermione, and Draco, sat back down in their spots quietly. 

"So," Hermione started, getting the everyone's attention, "Anything new happened to any of you today? Anybody?" 

There was an odd silence as the three boys thought of something to say. 

"Fred and George are finally getting their own shop in Hogsmeade." Ron shared in a low voice. 

"That's great!" Hermione said excitedly, "What are they calling it?" 

"'The Weasel's Revenge'" Draco droned before Ron could even answer. 

Hermione placed her hands on his hips, "That's not nice to say Draco!" 

"No.." Ron looked at her, "He's right, that's what it's called." he turned to Draco questiongly, "How did you know?" 

"I saw it this morning." Draco responded, "I couldn't help but notice the title. Besides, I was the one who started that name; even ask your brother's who they got 'Weasel' from." 

Hermione feared that Ron may explode at that, but oddly, he seemed very interested and tuned in. 

"You know what, I think having a shop like that, and a last name that sounds like Weasel, is actually a plus!" Ron now sat on the edge of his seat. 

Draco laughed, "Glad you liked it, Ron, it does sound rather vengeful, don't you agree?" 

Ron, a little surprised that he had called him by his first name, grinned, "It sort of scares you, doesn't it Draco?" 

Draco shrugged, "I probably wouldn't want to step in there." 

Hermione, glad that everything was turning out just fine, noticed Harry still glowering in his seat; staring in disbelief at Ron. Hermione frowned at him, and she caught his attention. He gave a solemn sigh and sat up. 

"Guess what? I saw that new broom in that one store this morning also. Flare, it was called. Fast as hell." Draco spoke; Ron paying intently at him. 

This new conversation seemed to snap Harry's head to Draco, "Flare? How fast?" he asked in a hurry. 

"They say at least 5x faster than the Firebolt." Draco shared. 

Harry was also on the edge of his seat, "Geez! How much?" 

"A lot. More money that I could handle." Draco gave a ironic sigh, "It's the best Quidditch broom ever, but it's way too expensive. Imagine how bad I'd kick your ass in a game if I had one of those." he spoke directly to Harry, who grinned proudly back at him. 

"Ha! That's about as far as you get for that, '_imagine'_." after a couple of laughs from the three boys, Hermione felt herself growing bored as Quidditch was the only thing they started talking about now. 

She sat, cross-legged on her seat, watching as the three boys talk about the 'great' games and the 'embarassing' games in the history of Quidditch. Propping her her chin on her palm, she gave a deep sigh, "Interesting.. uh-huh... yup... I know!" she spoke each word in a pattern, trying to annoy them in their engaged conversation. 

Looking up at the clock, she noticed that it was nearing dinner time. 

"I hate to interrupt you boys from such a riveting talk but, it's time to go to the Great Hall." Hermione stood up and placed her hand on her waist, looking down at the boys with a sad, sarcastic look. 

Draco stood up, "Yeah, we better go.. we'll talk more later." Ron and Harry followed his action, and the three followed behind Hermione; she was already halfway out of the portrait door, rolling her eyes and bickering about what Draco had last said. 

"Imagine that, Quidditch brought you three closer." she commented out loud. 

Harry and Ron scratched the back of their heads in unison, "Yeah.. but that doesn't mean we're already friends." Harry said quickly. 

"Honestly, Hermione, you think I'd give that quick of a chance?" Draco added, he looked at her with the corner of his eye, "These two are my rivals, neh?" 

"Rivals for what?" Hermione asked skeptically. 

Draco gave her a smirk, "Harry knows, ask him." 

Hermione looked over to Harry, but he didn't answer, "Is this about the whole He-who-must-not-be-named thing; Death Eaters and whatever?" 

No-one answered her. 

Sighing, Hermione brushed the strand of long hair over her shoulder, "You guys are just odd.. I don't even know why I had placed the idea that the three of you should get together." she muttered. 

"It's easy," Draco gave a yawn, and casually placed a hand around Hermione's shoulders; Ron's ears turned instantly pink, "You just care so much for me, that's why. Don't deny it, you wanted them to be friends with me because you were looking out for me." 

Hermione blushed but sighed pathetically, "You want a punch on the nose?" she growled. 

"Please say yes so I could do it for her." Ron threatened from behind them. 

Draco gave a short laugh and pulled his arm back, "Calm down, Ron. I was just fooling around." 

Hermione pursed her lips dangerously at him, "Do you still want a punch on the nose?" 

¤~¤ 

Dinner at the Great Hall was the same as usual; Slytherin, Griffyndor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw Houses all sat in their own tables; the teachers sat themselves up on the front of the Great Hall. 

Poking her green beans, which laid undisturbed on her plate, she heaved a sigh as once again she was forced to listen to another Quidditch conversation. She looked to her right and spotted Ginny doing the same as her. 

Ginny noticed Hermione's eyes at her, "Hey... you think you could shut those two with some sort of spell? Just for now." she gave a meak smile. 

Hermine giggled, "I could, but I'd get in trouble. I can't get in trouble if I'm Head Girl." 

Ginny nodded sadly, "That's dumb.. at least give them a detention threat or something?" 

With a grin, Hermione turned to Ron and Harry, "Can you guys just stop talking about Quidditch for a second?" 

"No." Ron stated. 

"Why do we have to? We're not forcing you to listen." Harry asked. 

"Well, no you're not forcing me too, you're just talking loud enough that the whole table seems like we're in this." Hermione cleared her throat, "Besides, you have to stop or else I'll give you detention for disturbing me." 

Harry and Ron looked at her with an 'are-you-serious?' look. 

"I'm serious." Hermione answered their silent question. With a moan, the two boys shoved food in their mouths in silence. 

Glancing back at Ginny, Hermione gave her a high-five under the table. Ginny laughed.   


It was already 7:00 p.m. and Hermione; along with Draco, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Lavender Brown; all decided to go up in the HeadGirl's/Boy's dorm to play a Muggle game that Hermione had told Lavender about. Hermione didn't really want to play, since it was a game she didn't want with Ron, Harry, and Draco. Still, Lavender had begged her, saying she wanted to play it with some of the Griffyndor boys, but she had never played it ever; Hermione finally agreed, they walked to the dorm; an empty, clear glass bottle in her hands. 

Sitting in a circle in the middle of the room, Hermione placed the bottle on its side in the vacant space inside the circle. She gave a deep breath and started the rules, 

"The game is spin-the-bottle. All you do is spin the bottle when it's your turn. When the bottle stops and points to a person in the circle, you *have* to kiss them on the lips for 2 seconds." 

Everyone's face flustered red like hers, except for Lavender; she looked as if she was shining in excitement. Ron was the first to sputter out, "What?! What kind of game is this?!" 

"It's a Muggle game... used at most teen parties." red began to creep in Ron's cheeks; Hermione sighed inwardly, "It's just a game, Ron. There's even a different version you would probably bleed your nose all over about." 

Ron was now a ripe tomato, "Wait.. if we play this, and I spin the bottle and get Harry, what am I going to do? Kiss him?!" 

"No!" Hermione looked at him in disgust; Ginny started to laugh, "You lose your turn. Then it'll be Harry's turn." 

"What if I get Ginny?!" 

"Well, you can either choose a kiss on the cheek or just pass." Hermione crossed her arms and looked around, finding Ron, Harry, and Ginny flusteringly nervous. Draco seemed to be calmly accepting the rules, and Lavender is just thrilled. 

"Hey, come on! On with the game!" Draco smirked, an overjoyed thought in his mind. He leaned over to be the first to spin the bottle but Hermione stopped him and eyed everyone. 

"No magic. You can't make the bottle point directly to the person you want, okay?" the crowd nodded. Letting go of the bottle Draco had his hand on, Hermione told him he could start. 

Draco twisted his wrist, and pushed the bottle to one side, spinning it briskly to the right. Everyone looked in the center of the circle, watching the bottle as it slowed down and stopped shortly, right in front of... 

Lavender squealed--Ron gasped--Harry muttered something short--Ginny turned bright pink. 

Draco had gotten Hermione on the first try. With a smirk, Draco ahemed and leaned down to Hermione; who was slightly flustered. 

Closing her eyes, she puckered up and kissed Draco on his soft, cold lips. She shook at the feeling, and felt her knees go jello. Lavender counted the two seconds, and slowly Draco pulled away. A pleased grin on his lips, he sat back on his spot, "I like this game." 

Hermione joined Ron's face and also became a tomato; she suddenly found her knees interesting. 

Ron could be heard growling to her right, and Lavender squealing like a ninny in her left. Harry kept fiddling his fingers, and Ginny kept on blushing. 

"Your turn, Hermione." Draco said in a lovely chorus tune. 

Hermione took hold of the bottle and spun it with the snap of her wrists. All eyes once again watched it anxiously, until it stopped in front of Ron. 

Now Ron had turned a very unnatural shade of red, "Uh.. " he muttered out as Hermione leaned to him. 

"Come off it Ron!" Hermione rolled her eyes and softly kissed him for 2 seconds. She pulled away, looking at him like she was ready to laugh; after the kiss, Ron looked as if he was just zapped with a petrified curse. 

Everyone looked at him, and laughed. 

"Ron, are you alive?" Harry managed to ask in between his laughing. 

"Hermione!" Ginny giggled, "What did you do to my brother?" 

Hermione grinned, "Ron, it wasn't that good." 

"Ah-guh-th--the--th--" Ron sputtered then shook his head. He noticed everyone was laughing at him, "Shut up!" 

Everyone gradually stopped their laughing, "First time, eh Ron?" Draco bemused. 

With a growl, Ron took the bottle and spun it around. 

¤~¤ 

The game soon ended a little ways before 8:30. 

It score sumed up: 

Hermione recieved 13 kisses and gave 9.   
Harry recieved 10 kisses and gave 11.   
Ron recieved a whopping 14 and gave 12.   
Draco recieved 10 and gave 15.   
Lavender recived a disappointing 8 but gave 14.   
Ginny recieved 10 also and gave 10. 

After the game, everyone hurried back to their own Houses and dorms. Now it was only Hermione and Draco in their common room. 

"Well, that was fun, I had to admit. Even with Potter and Weasley." Draco stuffed his hands in his pockets. 

Hermione nodded and smiled, "Well.. we've got potions early tomorrow, Good night." 

Draco watched as Hermione started to walk to her room. His throat gave a sudden call to her; Hermione turned around to face him. _What was I going to say? _Draco furrowed his eyebrows, trying think. Shaking his head, he cleared his throat, "Sweet dreams." 

Hermione smiled lightly at him, "You too. I'll see you in the morning." 

Nodding, Draco watched as she disappeared in her room. Walking towards his, he strutted with an odd walk. What was he going to say to her? He had something in mind... _Oh well, maybe I'll remember tomorrow. _ Yawning, he entered his room and plopped down on his bed; reminiscing the events earlier in that night. He had kissed her over 6 times this evening, and all of them felt the same as the first; burning, sweet, unforgettable.. 

A pillow covered his sly smile, _It won't hurt her any if she didn't know I used a little bit of magic...___

¤~¤ 

A pair of eyes shot open in the eerie dark. He knew something was amidst. 

"Lucious." the man commanded; another came up to him in black robes and bowed. 

"Yes, my lord?" Lucious asked. 

"Your boy," 

"Draco, your honor?" 

"Yes.. he is drifting." 

Lucious glanced up to the man sitting in the darkness enveloping his chair, "What?" 

"You heard me clear, Lucious. You boy is weakening." 

"That's not possible, my lord!" 

"Question me, do you? Bring forth your son in this circle before he becomes a pitiful Muggle-Lover." 

"Yes, my lord." Lucious said in a small voice. 

"No.. wait!" 

Lucious looked up; a pair of sinister eyes flashed a cunning glint. 

"There are other uses for him afterall.. do not bring him forth just yet, Lucious. I have a plan." with that he gave a cackle, penetrating Lucious' ears and made him shake. 

*¤~¤~¤~¤~¤* 

* * *

Thanks to:   
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**Thanks everyone!! I hope you liked this chapter; it was supposed to be dark but I figured that can wait until the next chapter. Now, the next chapter will be very depressing. Hermione's old facade will come back to her, and her secret will be revealed.**   



	4. Unspoken words; will arms be enough?

**The Superior Quality**   


* * *

  
¤~¤~¤   
Chapter four:

_"When there aren't any words..._

_what can I do?_

_What if I hold you in my arms?_

_Would that be okay?"_

Unspoken words; will arms be enough?

¤~¤ 

Monday mornings in Hogwarts were always full of rushing students, who obviously have woken up late. They jump out of their dorms, hair and clothes in a mess, and quickly dash to the Great Hall. 

The Great Hall lingered with the smell of hot syrup, porridge, oatmeal, and pancakes. Eating hurriedly, the students didn't have time to even talk to their friends as they shoved food down their throats. Only two students seemed to be very calm at the moment; gingeringly eating their pancake and porridge in a high fashion. 

Both Draco and Hermione woke up bright and early. As both Head Boy/Girl, it was their duty to be in time, keep watch, and make sure everything was in order. 

Hermione covered her yawn, "Monday..." dully stared at her food, then upfront to the whole room of the Great Hall. She and Draco was sitting near the teacher's table; it was a morning ritual to eat upfront at the start of the day. 

Beside her, Draco followed her recent action and yawned, "I'm tired as hell... I don't understand why I have to wake up so early." 

"I woke up an hour before you." Hermione retorted, "Monday sucks." 

"You suck." Draco playfully shot back. 

Hermione sighed, she knew he was just trying to fool around, "Yeah, I do." she said in a seductive voice and a smirk. 

Draco, trying to drink his orange juice at the moment, caught the liquid in the middle of his throat and quickly threw it back into his cup. He coughed and sputtered, and looked up at Hermione as she laughed. 

"What?" Hermione subsided her giggling, "Can't handle a sexual pun?" 

"Well, not from you, no." Draco said intently, "You're Hermione Granger; you don't do sexual puns." 

"I can too," Hermione crossed her arms, "just because that's my name doesn't mean I can't." 

Draco thought for a moment as he surveyed her; he thought about the sudden change in her formal stature, "Hermione, why have you become so witty? Usually when I mock you, or others mock you, you just cry." 

Hermione turned to him, flustered and nervous, "Well.." she paused and looked at her cup, "Nothing really, I just thought it for the better for me.. being Head Girl and all.. I don't want to be stepped on." 

"Oh.. I thought it was because I pushed you too far, or it's because of me." Draco insisted. 

At his words, Hermione frowned, remembering something she had been trying to push away since the beginning of school; she felt her chest suddenly feel numb, cold, and immovable. 

"Hermione?" 

Her name droned out of her hearing, instead she heard other voices from a recent memory; 

_'We don't want her! That's final!'_   
_'Look at what has happened!'_   
_'Leave her outside to die, she deserves to!'_

"Hermione!" 

Snapping her eyes wide, Hermione looked up as a pair of hands shook her; Draco stared at her worriedly, the whole room was now eyeing the two of them. 

"What's wrong?" Draco said in a soft, caring voice. His brows furrowed down, making his pale-gray eyes brighten in care. 

Hermione opened her mouth to answer; no sound, what was she going to say to him?.... he.. he was part of the problem... After a deep frustrating breath, she found herself shed out a painful tear. She suddenly felt embarrassed; she had promised herself that she wasn't going to cry tears any longer.. after what she had been through all summer, and what had happened in the Hogsmeade a week ago, but look at what she was doing now. She gave a gutteral groan and covered her face with her hands; hiding her face from every eye. 

Draco felt a pang in his stomach, he held onto her shoulders tighter as she began to tremble, "Hermione? What's wrong? Was it something I said? I'm sorry!" he rushed out the words quickly, trying to settle her down. 

Mrs. McGonagall soon rushed to her side, striding fast as soon as she saw Hermione begin to sob. Down on one knee, she turned Hermione's seat in front of her, "Ms. Granger? Are you okay?" she spoke to the a pair of hands. 

Hermione, shaking in anger and shame, shook her head to her. 

Mrs. McGonagall's eyes moved in concern, "Would you like to go to the nurse?" 

Giving another nod, Hermione whispered, choking in her tears, "Please?" 

Standing up, Mrs. McGonagall picked Hermione up by the arms; her face still in her hands, Mrs. McGonagall held her closely to her shoulder. 

"Professor?" Draco questioned before Mrs. McGonagall was able to walk down the front steps with Hermione. 

Mrs. McGonagall turned to him, a rather annoyed look in her eyes and tone, "You, Mr. Malfoy, make sure everyone gets in class this morning. Don't worry about Ms. Granger, she'll be fine." saying all this for the benefit of his concern, Mrs. McGonagall also turned to Ron and Harry, who was standing up from their seats, "You two will go to class also." 

"But what about-" Harry muttered until he was interrupted. 

"No buts! I trust you know about this, so off to class with the two of you!" she paced down the middle opening of the Great Hall and to the entrance doors; Hermione silent and hidden by her side. 

¤~¤ 

_I can't believe I did that... why did I have to break down? _Hermione's questions raced in her mind, making herself more miserable, _Everyone saw me, now they'll never leave me alone! This'll last for weeks... I'm so stupid!_

She let out a groan as she sat still on a chair inside the infirmary. Rubbing a sudden aching shoulder, her eyes moved over to Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey, talking in hushed whispers. Her eyes burning with tiredness, she could tell Mrs. McGonagall was explaining her situation to Madam Pomfrey; Pomfrey's face paled in grief. 

New tears were threatening her eyes, _Everyone will know.. it's just going to mess up everything I've worked for.._

She didn't notice Madam Pomfrey eyeing her with sorrow, "Ms. Granger, I'm very sorry as to what has happened to you last summer." she said in a soft voice. 

Hermione kept silent, _Now they're pitying me... am I that weak?_

"I understand what you may be feeling along the lines, but I want you to know that if ever you don't feel well, I want you to come straight here." 

_I hid it very good since I came back here... is it that easy to recognize it when I hide? Or is it just because I'm 'Hermione Granger--the weaklink, emotional, crybaby'?_

"If you ever feel sad or depressed--" 

_I'm not depressed..._

"I want you to tell me, and come here. Do you understand?" 

_I'm not depressed... I'm not depressed..._

"Ms. Granger? Please promise me you'll come here first?" 

_I'm not depressed... I'm fine! I am.._

Professor McGonagall was now standing beside Madam Pomfrey, "Hermione, please listen? We are only looking out for your well being." 

_I'm fine! _Hermione eyes slit into anger, "I can handle this..." she hissed softly. 

Mrs. McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey both backed up aghast, "Ms. Granger! Understand that you WILL--" 

"No, I won't!" Hermione stood up and grabbed her bag, tears falling from her eyes, "I don't need your help or anyone else's! I handled this on my own eversince 'that' day, and I can keep it up if you just give me a chance! I'm not weak!" with a brisk sweep to wipe her tears, Hermione ran out of the infirmary; the two adults watched her, stricken and speechless. 

¤~¤ 

Potions was quiet, not one single person was making a noise. One person seemed to be missing from class, everyone knew who it was. 

As Snape babbled on about ingredients for their next assignment, Draco constantly glanced at the exit of the room; hoping a certain chestnut-haired girl would burst in, wearing her beautiful smile on her lips. He sighed and couldn't help feel guilty, was it he who caused this? This he didn't know, but for sure Harry and Ron was keeping something from him; Mrs. McGonagall had even proved that she knew something. But what was it? 

Turning back to the quill in his hand, he scratched down the ingredient 'Stem of a Toadstool' as Snape's words briefly passed his mind; _I asked her a question, she zones out for a couple of seconds, then she breaks down and cries... what did I say? What did I do?_

Draco grumbled out of frustration, pressing his quill tip a little hard on his parchment until it poked through. Everyone stopped their note-writing and looked down at him, Professor Snape did the same. 

"Troubles, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked in his most 'special-only-to-Slytherins' voice. 

Giving a 'hmmph', Draco threw his parchment aside and grabbed in his bag for a new one, "Nope." he answered casually. 

Professor Snape pursed his lips to say something but then quickly averted gaze as his door opened up; everyone's eyes followed his. 

Feeling the sudden gaze and attention to her, Hermione absentmindedly adjusted the strap of her bag over her shoulder while looking down to her feet. 

Draco, seeing her, almost jumped out of his seat. He eyed her up and down; she looked deathly-pale, and her eyes rimmed a strong pink. 

On the other side of the room, Harry and Ron had started to make room for her beside them; Snape spotted this and gave a menacing smile. 

As Hermione began her short walk towards her friends, a voice stopped her dead on her tracks. 

"Going somewhere Miss Granger?" Snape asked, walking up behind her, "Where were you?" 

Hermione cleared her throat, but still, she felt another lump rise, "I was at the infirmary." she answered, her voice quivering. 

"Turn around, Granger!" Snape commanded, and in an instant, Hermione did. He grinned, "Ah, of course you were! After that incident this morning, you acting such a crybaby, of course you ran to the infirmary." 

Hermione winced; pain rushing in her mind from his words. 

"What's wrong then? Why did you cry this morning? What's your reason?" like a snake, Snape slithered his tongue as he spoke, pronouncing every syllable in a mocking tone. 

Angry, Harry stood up, "Leave her alone!" 

"Ten points off of Gryffindor!" Snape snapped his head towards Harry, "One more word and I will double it!" 

Harry, still glaring sat down. 

Snape smirked and turned back to Hermione, "Now where was I? Oh yes... why were you bawling your head off this morning Granger?" 

Hermione, her eyes locked on her own shoes, kept her hands at her sides, remaining silent. 

Draco, now realizing the hostile condition she seemed to be in, began to grow angry, _What the hell is Snape trying to pull?_

"Answer me, Mudblood!" Snape's eyes widened in anger. 

Hermione's head snapped up to his; looking terribly pained and felt like she was about to go insane. 

Ron leaped out of his seat, "Stop it! She doesn't have to say anything!" 

"50 points off!" with a quick grab, Snape had taken hold of Hermione's arm and pushed her down to the front of the room. Draco stood up suddenly, but both Crabbe and Goyle forced him down again; Pansy giggling behind him. 

"That Mudblood's gonna get it!" she said in a hushed excitement. 

He forced her up to the front and leaned down to her face, "The reason?! Do tell us since you *had* us all concerned!" 

"It's-it's about my mother and father... they died this summer..." Hermione sputtered; new tears spilling down the corners of her eyes, pain numbing the flesh around where Snape was holding her at. 

Snape's eyes glowed with triumph, "And so? what else? What about your parent's death that made you cry this morning?" 

Hermione gave a hurtful whine, more tears suspended from her eyes; she squirmed her arm free, only to find Snape grab hold her again. 

"What's wrong little Muggle-born?! Am I hurting you? Am I embarrassing you? Don't you want to tell all your friends as to how exactly your summer went?" Snape gave a malice grin. 

By this time, most of the Gryffindor students jumped out of their seats, juggling to think of what to do; should they go down there and stop Snape, or should they just lag around and helplessly watch the scenario unfold? 

Many of the Slytherins watched in impressiveness; Draco fumed inside but was able to do nothing. 

"Stop it!" Harry and Ron both shouted from their seats. 

Snape's head threateningly glanced at him, "100 points off of Gryffindor! One more word from any of you will resort to detention!" 

His dark eyes focused on Hermione once more, "You ungrateful Mudblood! You think you're oh-so high and mighty, being a Head Girl and top student in Hogwarts, don't you?! Why was it you broke down at the hall this morning, like the crybaby you were?!" 

Hermione breaths began to go ragged; her face calmed, she was going to snap, "It was because.. Draco was there.. he asked me a question." 

Draco held his breath, _It was me? What did I do?_

Snape, shaking her; her hair tossling around, "You snagged one of my best Slytherins, ah I remember! And what about Mr. Malfoy? Talk you damned witch! What about Mr. Malfoy made you think of the death of our parents?!" 

Silently, Hermione threw her arms on her sides, knocking Snape's grip from her; then she stood still, zombie-like; her eyes covered the shadows of her bangs, "My parents.... were killed by Death Eaters." she responded almost in mono tone. 

Harry and Ron both frowned; they could feel the certain pain as she spoke the truth she had been hiding. 

Draco felt like a wave of smelly, rotten carrion passed through him, and all he could breath was that; he felt like he was going to fall hard on the floor. 

Half the class gasped; glass bottles and cauldrons began to levitate around in the classroom and swirled above their heads. 

Hermione continued, "I wasn't at home, the Death Eaters missed me by a half hour. They killed them, mum and dad, with a curse; they were both in the kitchen fixing lunch. This was two days after I came home from school." 

Parvati screamed as the bottles began to smash themselves on the walls. Harry and Ron spun around, trying to figure out what was causing this; everyone else ducked below their desks. 

Snape growled at the sight of his supplies being destroyed. His eyes shot to Hermione; she was staring at the floor like it was far away. 

Still, everyone in the room was able to hear Hermione's words, "After that, I was taken to my grandmother and grandfather's; they did not want me. They denied me a home, and then wished me nothing else but to die. So I was forced to stay at a local hospital." she spoke more clearly, openly--too openly--as if she was in the brink of her sanity. 

The cauldrons began to also join the bottles as they too smashed the walls, denting their roundness. 

Snape hissed, "You stop all this, Mudblood! I don't know how you are able to do this, but I know you are doing it!" 

Afar from them, Draco stood still, breathless... _Her parents were killed by Death Eaters? When? How... how come I don't know this?!_

"A month passed until Ron's parents came to get me. They weren't afraid I was going to bring them death," she paused a moment, a meak smile formed on her lips, "Thank you Mrs. Weasley." she said softly, to someone who wasn't there; her eyes still downcast. 

By this time, almost everyone in the room knew she had somehow turned psycho and deranged. They backed up against the back wall, safe from the bottles that flew to the sides; they were now looking down at Hermione in caution. Only Harry, Ron, and Draco kept their positions still; somehow the bottles didn't sway their way to hit them. 

"You stop this immedietly!" Snape spat, feeling the source of power surging from her, "You are doing this!" 

"I've managed to hide myself for a while now," Hermione continued, her eyes now drifted dangerously to Snape's; she looked sweetly ready for revenge, "until you managed to force me out of it. What's it like killing my parents, professor?" 

Snape's face twisted in fury; their was a hint of fear in his eyes from her glance. 

"Was it fun? Did it satisfy you? And me slipping out of my mind's grasp, is this satisfying you, or do you need more?" Hermione's hair flew around as if she was veela; Harry, Ron, Draco, and the rest of the students gasped in awe. The bottles and cauldrons now flew wildly; smashing up, down, left and right. 

"Did you enjoy killing them?!" Hermione screamed. 

Feeling the boldening threat in her words, Snape sneered and leaned closer to whisper something only she could hear, "Your mother moaned like a whore when they took her." 

Hermione stood rigid, bottles flew around like houses trapped in a very strong gail. Lunging more and more things in every direction. Some even broke through the windows. 

A hand flew back, then forwards, hurting the cheek that came in impact with it. Hermione dropped to the ground, a hand on a cheek; the bottles and cauldrons followed her to the floor. She sat their for a while, rubbing the tingy pain with a palm; everyone quiet and still. 

Hermione gave one quick ragged breath, stood up, and made a dash out the door. 

In an instant, Harry and Ron followed her. 

Draco was still standing; he blinked as he saw Harry and Ron run after her; he quickly ran down to the door. 

"Mr. Malfoy, where do you think you're going?!" Snape let out but shut his mouth as Draco looked at him dangerously and left. 

The Gryffindor students began to talk; gradually, one by one, they made their way out of the room. 

Snape, stared at them, "You will all stay!" 

Dean threw his bag down, "We're telling Professor Dumbledore about this." 

"Yes, and McGonagall!" Lavender shouted, tears streaking her face. 

"No you won't!" Snape threatened, "Or I will take off every single point in from your measly House!" 

"You can't after what we tell Professor Dumbledore!" Neville spoke up; his face stricken in fear, "You taking points off of us now, won't matter after what we tell him!" 

Snape glared, as all he could do was watch them run out of the halls; he cursed loudly. 

¤~¤ 

"Hermione!!" Harry shouted. A couple of feet above him was Hermione, racing away from the dungeons. 

Ron finally caught up beside Harry and joined him as they tried to get their friend's attention, "Hermione, stop!" 

She did not listen. She had made it out on the main hallway, and turned towards the exit of the castle. 

"Where are you going?!" Harry turned sharply to the right as Hermione rushed out the door and cut through the grass of the school grounds. For about two minutes, they stopped their running and watched as Hermione broke down to a nearby tree in front of the lake. 

Crumpling herself, wishing she could just squeeze together in a tight ball, Hermione sobbed loudly and covered her face in her knees. 

Harry and Ron only stared, at least a yard aways from her. As if her mood controlled the weather, cold-peltering rain dropped from the skies. Both boys quickly turned around when they heard footsteps dawning; it was Draco; his face pale as Hermione's, he looked guilty. Taking a breath, he began to walk past them, but Harry quickly stopped him, "Don't... you'll only worsen it." 

Draco angrily pulled his arm away, "I didn't know..." he spoke softly, "No-one told me about all this!" 

Ron began a temper, "She had meant it to be unknown! Don't blame us or her! Blame your father!" 

"What are you saying, Weasley?" Draco grabbed Ron by the collar, "That I might have something to do with this?!" 

Harry quickly pulled the two away from each, "Stop it!" he pointed to two figures approaching them from the castle; it was McGonagall and Pomfrey. 

Without hesitation, McGonagall headed straight to Hermione. She bent down and touched her shoulder, only to find Hermione push her away. 

"Hermione, please come with me?" Professor McGonagall pleaded; she reached down and forced Hermione to her feet. 

Hermione screamed and fought her grip. Professor McGonagall grabbed her sweater, trying to calm the girl down while calling Madam Pomfrey over for help. All Harry, Ron, and Draco could do was stand back and watch. 

"Please, Hermione! Settle!" McGonagall cried out, but Hermione managed to twist her school sweater off, freeing herself from McGonagall, and leaving her with a white undershirt on. 

"I don't need you!!" Hermoine shouted, and made a run for it; this time towards the Forbidden Forest. 

"Hermione!!!" McGonagall cried out, knowing the danger the Forbidden Forest held; quickly Draco went for her first this time. 

Running as fast as he can, he bolted to the sprinting Hermoine as she neared the edge of the thickets of the forest entrance. He held a hand before him and managed to take hold of Hermione waist. Quickly wrapping the kicking girl, he held her back and carried her feet above ground; keeping her from trying to run away from him. 

"Let go!!" she screamed, kicking her feet in the air. 

"Hermione, stop now!" Draco commanded. 

"Just let me go!" she screamed again; willingly Draco put her down, and as he did so, she twirled around to him angrily and began to pound him on the chest, "I hate you!!! I hate you!!" she sobbed. 

Draco didn't flinch at her pounding, instead he began to slowly pull her closer to him with his arms. Spreading his hands on her back and pushing her closer, he ignored the swelling pain on his chest from her fists. 

"I hate you!!" Hermione let out; her hand stopped pounding, Draco's hands stopping them and wrapping them around his neck, "I hate you..." she sobbed softer. She was pulled closer to him; she could smell his soap on his skin from his morning shower, his shampoo, his cologne; she felt fresh tears slowly running down her pain-reddened face. She gave a soft muffled cry in his shoulder and trembled. 

Draco breathed in, "It's okay, Hermione..." he whispered in her ear; the rain started falling harder than before, hazying their environment. He held her closer as she shivered, her burning cheek against his cold nape; he leaned his head and pressed his skin over hers. Right now, he didn't care if Hermione hated him; right now, he didn't care if she didn't give him any more chances after today; all he cared for now is getting her to stop crying. 

Hermione clung tighter around his neck; her face pressing hard on his shoulder, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean it... I'm sorry..." she whispered, before succumbing into tears once more. 

_*to be continued...*_

*¤~¤~¤~¤~¤*   


* * *

**A/N: Thanks to all reviewers!! Hope you all liked this chapter.. it's a bit sad and in the dark side, but who here didn't like the little scene in the end?! *_* Yesh, it's so sweet! It's not over yet, part two of this will be next chapter. Hermione gets more deranged; do not fear, though, this little problem will only bring both her and Draco closer ^_^. Ah..nothing like dementia to bring two lovers together eh? lol, R&R please!**

**I'll have another 'thanks to' messege in the next chapter! And also, please don't review my story if you're just going to post a message that you updated your story; especially when you didn't actually read any part of this and just kinda used the review section as an advertisement space; iz very rude. Don't worry, you don't have to tell me when you have updated, I constantly check for any new chapters, so.. yeah.**


	5. Promises from the deep; the beginning of...

**The Superior Quality**   


* * *

¤~¤~¤   
Chapter five:

_"I swear to my heart_

_and soul;_

_I won't let you go..."_

Promises from the deep; the beginning of the close friendship.

¤~¤ 

  
  
  
  


"Brilliant, my Lord." the words spoke admiringly, "But how did you do it, and how did you know?" 

A proud smile crossed his lips, "Lucius, how I did it shouldn't have been asked. I am Lord Voldemort, I know what powers I have and I know how to use them. Snape was an easy target to use, since he is currently at Hogwarts, and a Death Eater, it was easy to take control over him. The traitor can't do anything about it as long as he still has that mark." 

"But, my lord," Lucius made a note, "If you knew how to control Severus, why did you not use him to already kill off Dumbledore; better yet, that boy?" 

"There's a fine line between controlling someone to kill, and controlling someone to change attitudes. Snape has his common sense; unfortunately my power can't go beyond his better judgement." Voldemort formed a scowl, but it was soon replaced with another smirk; "But, I can control what he says, especially to that Muggle, since he had a sort of spite for the girl already. It took a lot from me, but it was all worth while." 

Lucius nodded to his words, his eyes furrowed in curiosity, "One other question, my lord; how do you know that Muggle can do that?" 

Voldemort laughed, the harshness ringing in the room, "Her magic," he started, "is being directed to her sanity, or rather, her emotions." Standing up, his black robes cascading down in front of him, Voldemort glared at Lucius, "That girl; she holds magic that even I can't recognize. The day her parents' souls were entrapped in my wand, there was an odd feeling I got; a feeling I've felt before." 

"My lord?" Lucius stuttered. 

"Much like the feeling I got when that boy's mother's soul entered my wand." Voldemort's eyes slitted, "Her parents did something... they didn't just die, Lucius. What happened that day?" 

Noticing the question pointing directly to him, Lucius began to perspire; he cleared his throat, "We are sure nothing happened; it was a surprise attack, they didn't know what was coming." 

Voldemort looked at him and gave a dismissing scoff. 

Lucius felt the wave of anger and disappointment in his scoff, "I swear, my lord. They are Muggles; how could they have done anything at all?" he stammered quickly. 

"Muggles don't need magic to protect their children, all they need is a clean soul, a prudent prayer, before their deaths." Voldemort's voice boomed loudly around Lucius' ears, "Her parents did this... don't you understand, Lucius? It's almost like a sacrifice." 

An unknown force caught Lucius' throat; he pulled his hands up to it and grasped his neck. 

"Wasn't it odd that both her mother and father stood still at their times of death? Wasn't it odd that they didn't resist or fight back?" his voice growing louder and angrier, Voldemort raised his hand up in the air, "It's because they knew their daughter would be home soon... and so they didn't delay their own deaths for the sake of hers." high in the air, his fist clenched, "They made a strong supplication, a request, a prayer for their daughter." 

From below the black, stone steps, Lucius felt the force tighten, constricting; he let out a choke and fell to his knees. As quick as it had began, it was gone. Lucius threw back a cough, and raised his head, only to find a pair of red-reptillian eyes, burning in front of him. 

"What does this all mean, you may ask?" Voldemort hissed, "She's been given a chance to survive everything I may do to this world, with forbidden powers." Reaching with his hand to Lucius' collar, Voldemort raised him higher, "She doesn't know how to control them any other way than reactions from her measly bottled-up emotions. We need her to join us, Lucius." 

Lucius forced the lump in his throat, and nodded. 

A senile smirk tugged a corner of Voldemort's mouth, enjoying Lucius' expression, "We need her to break her sanity; emerge her darkest side as she almost did this morning." Voldemort threw Lucius aside, glaring at him with immense satisfaction for his plans, "And.." he drawled, "this is where your boy comes into the picture." 

¤~¤ 

Outside the infirmary sat three boys with in silence, and vigilence. Draco sat against the side of the infirmary wall, while Harry and Ron sat opposite from him. All three were covered with a thick, black blanket, to dry theirselves from the cold rain from outside. 

They have been out there for at least an hour now; all worried for their friend inside. More quiet time passed until suddenly, Ron stood up alert. 

"That damn Snape!" he fumed out loud, "Dumbledore better kick him out of here before I do!" 

Harry and Draco eyed him pathetically, "Sit down, Ron." Harry muttered to his friend, and reached up to grab his blanket and pull him back down to his seat. 

Ron sat down, his face in an angry, vengeful scowl, "What?! He needs to kicked outta' here, after what he did!" Ron studied his friend's face; Harry cocked an eye at him, looking back as if he was looking at a crazy man; "To Hermione!!" Ron yelled, his face reddening. 

"Shut up, Ron!" Draco snarled from the other side; Ron snapped to him in a split second. 

"And you!" Ron held a finger and pointed to Draco, "You need to get kicked out also!" 

Throwing his blanket to the floor, Draco stood up in a challenge, "You're asking for it, aren't you?" he gritted his teeth. 

Before Ron could snap back, Madam Pomfrey appeared at the infirmary doorway, "Boys!" she warned as soon as her door was shut, "Calm yourselves! Ms. Granger is asleep!" 

At the sound of their friend's name, the three moved their attention to her. 

"She's asleep? Is she okay now?" Harry asked quickly. 

Madam Pomfrey nodded, a bleak smile on her lips, "Yes she's asleep, Professor McGonagall had placed her in a deep sleep curse. Unfortunately Ms. Granger was still being stubborn; there wasn't any other choice. As for her wellness, we don't know. She seems... 'far-off' from the looks of it." 

Ron swallowed, "You think she'd gone insane? B-because she sort of did during summer at my home, and my mother fixed her all up. Call my mother!" 

"Mr. Weasley, that's not what I meant." Madam Pomfrey frowned, "What I meant is that she certainly isn't well right now, but I think she just needs some more time." 

"B-but, I'm telling you, almost the same thing happened during summer at my home!" Ron went up in front of her, "Call my mother! She knows what to do!" 

Madam Pomfrey, surprised at Ron's sudden advance, turned to Harry, who nodded to her. 

"It's true," Harry spoke softly, "almost the same thing happened at Ron's house, except it didn't start like it did this morning. I think it'd be a good idea to call Mrs. Weasley for this." 

Sighing, Madam Pomfrey shot Ron with a warning look, "For your sake, I'll call your mother." With a sigh, she headed back in her room, muttering under her breath about 'work' and 'handling things on her own'. Before any of the three could follow behind, Professor McGonagall appeared right before them and shut the infirmary door closed. 

The three boys looked at her in dismay as she eyed them back sternly, "No visitors. I say so, and Ms. Granger requests it also." she stiffly said. 

"Was this before or after you put her in a sleeping curse?" Draco asked irritatingly. 

McGonagall brushed off his rudeness, "Well, since you are all here, I'd like you three to follow me to my office where you will tell me whatever happened in Potions class this morning." She saw Ron's face immidietly brighten to say something, but she placed a hand up to stop him, "Professor Snape is already with Professor Dumbledore. I advise you to speak no-more of it, Mr. Weasley, before you find detention." 

With a huff, Ron folded his arms, and began to follow Professor McGonagall as she began to walk. Harry, following after Ron, was suddenly stopped by a hand on his shoulder. 

"Draco?" Harry asked the person walking beside him. 

Draco placed his hand back beside him; he sighed, "After this, do you think you can tell me all that's happened to Hermione last summer... or is that some sort of sworn secret I'll never be trusted to know?" 

Harry gave a sympathetic smile, "I'll tell you later; I'm sure Hermione wouldn't mind." he looked up at the ceiling briefly, "Although, I'm not sure what Ron'll say." 

Draco shrugged and mocked a 'Ron-answer' in his best, "'Harry! Have you gone mad! Haven't you forgotten that this is a Malfoy?! Augh! 'Geroff me!'" 

In front of them, Ron growled, "Shut up, Draco." 

Shrugging again, Draco placed his arms behind his head as he walked, "So tell me later." he told Harry before reaching Professor McGonagall's office. 

¤~¤ 

In another room, two men sat across from each other, only a large oval desk separating them. One sat stiffly, while the other brushed his long white beard in a habit. 

The man, with a grim sage look in his face, gave a deep grumble as he cleared his throat, "I expected better from you, Severus." 

"Albus, I did not do that to Ms. Granger." Snape replied quickly, "It was not me." 

"All of your Gryffindor students witnessed it." Dumbledore wrinkled the patch of skin above his eyes, "All have said, 'Professor Snape did the most horrid thing'. And sure enough I believe them; Ms. Granger is in the infirmary as we speak." 

"Okay, it was me who acted it," Snape faltered, "but it was not in my intentions. I was being controlled." 

At this, Dumbledore stopped stroking his beard, his eyes showed concern, "Again, Severus?"--Snape nodded-- "What do you suppose his reason is this time?" 

"I don't know, Albus." Snape shared, "But I believe it absolutely had to do something with Granger." 

"Ms. Granger? Is he possibly trying to kill her?" Dumbledore stopped as he noticed the sick look in Snape's face, "Excuse me, not that you would do such a thing Severus." 

Snape shook his head, "Quite alright. Now about Ms. Granger, I don't think he wants her dead; he's got some sort of mission, a plan maybe?" 

Albus grumbled and stood up, "Voldemort is up to something involving a Muggle-born? Odd, don't you agree?" 

Looking up at the formidable professor, Snape followed his action, "I believe our Ms. Granger has something Voldemort would love to have in his hands." 

"And what's that, Severus?" 

"The key to his victory." 

¤~¤ 

_Wind blew in my face, darkness choking me in every direction; it's a dream._

_In this dream, I'm suddenly placed up on top of a high place; nothing beneath me, nothing around. What I had on, were beautiful black-velvet robes; the collar was neck-high and felt suffocating, the sleeves were long past the tips of my finger tips; my back exposed half of my flesh, large slits opened to the sides--parts of my stomach and abs could be seen. I didn't bother to close them up, hide them from any eyes that may be out there, instead I kept staring in front of me; to the vast nothing._

_I felt different, confused, cold. The most frightening thing of all was, I felt soulless._

_Everytime I drew a breath, I couldn't feel it. Everytime I suspected my heart to beat, I couldn't hear it._

_Then, as if someone had flicked a light switch open, light poured in from all sides. My eyes quickly focused to a large round object, distances in front of me. It was the planet earth._

_Beautiful, in it's own serene way. The colorful swirls of the misty clouds; the beautiful blue it radiated from it's oceans. But I noticed my expression wasn't that of an impressed and mesmerized look, it was more of a scornful and despised gaze._

_A sudden whisper passed my ears,_

_"It's yours to destroy, wouldn't you like that?"_

_I found the words frightening, and yet my physical body seemed to respond differently as a smile crept my lips; I wasn't in control._

_"All you need to do is join my side, and everything and everyone you hate could disappear. You'd like that very much, wouldn't you? No one will be able to bother you any longer, and you'l respect and power."_

_Slowly, my hand shot up; palm pointing the beautiful planet. I tried to cry, I tried to scream, and still nothing came out. I couldn't bring my palm down, knowing whatever I was about to do wasn't anything good._

_"Two words, is all you need to say."_

_I breathed heavily, my smile widening to a satisfying grin. To my surprise a large red ball formed in the palm that pointed out; it wasn't a solid object either, it was airy and warm._

_"Attilus Demonis." the voise whispered._

_The ball in my palm grew larger, and my lips repeated his words, "Attilus.. Demonis."_

_The red ball quickly shot from my palm and sped through the blackness towards the blue planet. Upon touching it, the planet became a dull reddish-brown._

_I could hear laughing; from me and the voice behind me._

_Agonizing moans could be heard coming from the now-ugly planet._

_"Thank you, Hermione, for saving me the hassle of killing the world."_

_My faced paled; I wanted out. As if my body finally heard me, I collapsed on my knees; my expression still loving my hand-work on Earth.._

_"Wake up," it was a totally different voice this time, "You've got so much work ahead of you."_

_I gasped._

_¤~¤_

Hermione woke up; her head spinning and her mouth dry. She pulled the white sheets off of her and sat up in the small bed. She noticed she was in the infirmary and scowled at the sight of it. 

Determined to leave, Hermione quietly clambered out of her bed and snuck herself to the exit. She looked cautiously around for Madam Pomfrey, luckily she wasn't anywhere near. She took a minute to wonder where she could be. She shrugged her shoulders and reached for the door handle. 

Prying the door open--only making small, insignificant creaks--Hermione made it out to the hall. Now where was she to go? Well, the only room she could go was hers. 

Pacing briskly down the halls, Hermione made her way to a large portrait of a beautiful maiden with bright-gold hair. She cradled into a small ball beside a large pillow as she slept. 

"Excuse me?" Hermione whispered to the portrait. 

The woman opened her eyes quickly and looked down at Hermione in shock, "Oh my, it's you!" 

Hermione placed a finger to her lips, "Shhh." 

"Oh.." the woman in the portrait clamped a hand on her mouth; slightly opening it to one side, "The Head Boy said you were ill; he said you weren't coming up tonight." 

"Draco said that?" Hermione asked curiously. 

"Yes," the woman looked down at her in worry, "Are you alright? I've heard many students pass by and talk of an incident with you this morning." 

"I'm fine." Hermione tried saying in the most decent and pleasant way. After finding out that everybody was now talking about her, she suddenly felt sick and annoyed. 

"Oh.." the woman rendured softly, "So would you like to come in, then?" 

"Yes, please." Hermione smiled weakly. 

The woman smiled, "Password?" 

"Superior Quality." she answered; the portrait swung open. 

¤~¤ 

Taking a step inside, her eyes caught a sight of a figure--with the help of the dim light from the the fireplace-- in the couch, making her want to suddenly turn her heels around and start running. But she also caught that the figure was laying down, a pillow over the head, and sleeping quietly. 

Tip-toeing in, Hermine advised the woman in the portrait to close softly. 

The portrait did, and Hermione was grateful that Draco's sleeping figure was undisturbed; who else would it be, with blonde-silver hair? Walking stalkingly over to the side with the room to her door, Hermione kept her eyes at him. He was laying comfortably on the couch, a small pillow covering his head. 

As she reached for her door, her fingertips touching the handle; Hermione stood still from a voice. 

"What are you doing?" Draco muttered from underneath the pillow. 

She had been found. Sighing, Hermione stood straight and leaned against the wall, "What do you think? I'm trying to get to my room." 

There was a pause before Draco removed the pillow from his head and looked up at her; his gray eyes studying her up and down, "How'd you wake up?" 

Hermione looked at him, ".. from what, exactly?" 

"McGonagall put a deep sleep curse on you because, quote, you were being 'stubborn'." he was sitting up now, a pair of relieved eyes danced. 

Hermione tilted her head, "I didn't know she did. I don't know how I managed to break out of it." 

'Maybe it was that dream?' her mind questioned but she resisted to go any further about that. 

It was silent for a minute, her eyes wandering elsewhere when she could sense Draco's peering to her. She felt uncomfortable, what was he trying to do to her? She hated silence. Fortunately, it ended when Draco spoke up. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked indifferently. 

"Why would I?" Hermione retorted, her eyes moving dangerously to his. 

Draco's eyes halfened, "Why not?" he ventured. 

Hermione stood still, and didn't answer; fidgeting from the pressure of what to say. 'Because' was the only thing she could think of. 

"Hermione," Draco's voice timidly called, "come here." he patted a spot beside him. 

At first, Hermione hesitated. Draco stood up then, and went around the second couch to her. He smiled briefly and gently took hold of her arm, dragging her with him back to the couch. He sat down first, then signaled Hermione to join him, "Sit." and she did. 

Feeling awkward again, Hermione tried to divert her gaze on to something else in the room. 

Draco, feeling his special friend's tension, reached for her right hand with his left; intertwining his fingers with hers. He felt her stiffen. 

"Why would you think so bad of me?" he asked softly. 

"Y-you're a Malfoy." she suddenly muttered; her right fingers tingling and aching within his grasp. 

Letting out a laugh, Draco lifted his hand up, as well as hers, and kissed the back of palm lightly, "Well, thanks for pointing that out 'Ron'." 

She felt his lips burn her skin, "Would you please stop it?" she pleaded, and Draco's lips immedietly left his contact with her hand. She kept her eyes away from him; her long silky hair draped over the side of her head, covering her face and shielding her from the direct stares of Draco. 

"Hermione," he continued with a caring tone, "I want you to understand that-" Draco winced as he searched for the right words for the moment. 

_-that I love you..._   
_-that I'd do anything for you..._

"-that I care for you." he finished. Inwardly, he punched himself, he couldn't say what he really wanted to. Though, his words finally got Hermione's beguiling eyes to shine on his in outmost happiness; a look he had been praying forever to shine again. 

"Harry, and Ron, both told me everything they knew." Draco persisted, "Ron, however was still being all 'sworn-to-life-never-to-tell-a-soul-for-the-sake-of-friendship'; he wasn't as much into detail." he smiled softly when he noticed Hermione's lips pull up slightly on the corners. 

"Did you know I frightened Ron this summer?" Hermione eyes looked as if it was recovering from an enjoying laugh, "He started becoming 'motherly' and 'big-brother type' on me." 

"I heard." Draco lips tightened straight, "Hermione, I'm deeply sorry. Whatever happened, you didn't deserve." 

Hermione looked down at her hands, gripped by his, "You didn't do anything, you shouldn't say that." 

Placing his other hand on top the one he already had, Draco tried to warm her cold hand, "Yeah, I know, but I can't help thinking that this is my fault. I have no doubt that my father wasn't part of it." 

"Hmm.." Hermione sounded out, trying so much to not react with their topic, so instead she kept her thinking to the silky fingertips, laced and over hers. It was odd for her, Draco being so close and sympathetic; it made her feel somewhat special.. possibly needed. She watched the affable man, relishing on her own fingers in his; he was suddenly _something else _to her eyes. 

Hermione felt herself blush. Can you believe it? The same arrogant boy from her first year at Hogwarts; the boy who was arcane to everyone's eyes; the boy who was a little more precocious for his age, was now docile, rueful, solemn with her. His voice and movement were so conscientious, serious, and caring. 

She was startled when Draco's eyes was now in front of her, _Had he caught me 'gawking'? _Hermione blushed embarrisingly. 

Draco grinned, "What's wrong?" 

Hermione shook her head and turned it in front of her, "Nothing." she said softly. She felt Draco's hand lift from hers, and held her breath when it was suddenly placed itself on her cheek, turning her face to his once more. 

"Listen," he looked at her eyes intensely, "I wouldn't dare to hurt you.. ever. I want you to know that I can protect you, and whether you like it or not, I will," Draco vehemently smiled, "with my life." 

Breathing softly, Hermione gazed back at him with uneasiness, "Why would you want to do that?" she asked. She felt the aura of his warmth as he leaned closer. 

"If I told you my reason," he was now looking grave, and more uneasy than Hermione's tone, "would you promise not to.. get all weird on me and run?" 

A brow furrowed on Hermione's face, "Well, okay I guess.." she answered slowly. 

Taking a deep breath, Draco looked away as he felt the flush creeping in, "Um.. well.. you see, I seemed to have developed somewhat of a ... crush on you since, I guess, the beginning of this year." he sputtered, "And really, it sort of..." his face twisted as he thought hard of how to say what he was trying to point out, "uh grew." 

"Are you trying to say you're 'in love' with me?" Hermione asked, shocked. 

Draco turned full red, something he wasn't really accustomed to, "Yeah." he muttered, still looking away. 

There was a silent break before Hermione began to laugh. 

Draco felt like he got suddenly pulled down from his seat and fell harshly on the floor. Sure he was glad that he had made her laugh, but not over this. 

"What's so funny?" he snapped his head back to her, looking thoroughly discouraged and embarassed. 

Hermione waved her hands in front of him, still laughing her head off, "Nothing.. " she calmly said, before she sputtered laughing again. 

Seeing playfullness and joy in the way Hermione laughed, Draco smiled, "I take it, you're not going to make this any easier for me, huh?" 

"Ha!" Hermione now looked at him devilishly, "No way! I'm going to carry this for a while and prolong it a little longer." 

"Prolong it until what?" Draco shot back; he wasn't really happy hearing that she may be planning something. 

Hermione smiled, and meld her fingers with his, "Until I accept." she responded eloquently. Stiffening her posture, Hermione stood up and pulled Draco with her, "Now, since you pledge to protect me, you're now officially my bodyguard." 

Draco showed his smile again, "Sounds good to me." He cocked his head to the side, "So does this mean you won't be wallowing in self pity, and throwing things to people for the next few days like Harry said? Because if it does, I'm glad you're back to your witty and annoying self." 

Shooting him a look, Hermione lifted her chin, "Yeah well... your news of infatuation with me just made my day... er.. night. You put me up in a good mood." 

Rolling his eyes, Draco saluted, "Glad to be at your service." 

Hermione tugged on his arm and waved a finger, "Speaking of services, you won't mind sleeping beside me tonight do you?" she laughed in glee at the sight of Draco's sudden red face; "You'll just be sleeping _beside _me, after all, you are my official bodyguard now. This is your first official task." 

"W-hat?" Draco was shocked, but a smirk played across his lips, "Really?" 

With a huff, Hermione began to pull him towards her room, "Come on, it's really late and I'm really tired!" Finally reaching past her door, Hermione pointed to her bed, "You go in first." 

"Wow, pleasure's all mine." he drawled as he walked towards the bed, Hermione following behind him. Draco looked around her room; it was almost the same as his except for the minor details of the Gryffindor colors and sign. Reaching her bedside, he pulled off his slippers and climbed in under the sheets; Hermione followed suit. 

Laying on his back, Draco thought deeply of what he was _exactly _doing on the bed of the woman he admitted of loving. His heart almost leapt up as Hermione's hand wrapped around his neck; her face resting on the side of her shoulder. 

"Goodnight, Draco." Hermione yawned and closed her eyes, "Thanks for being my official bodyguard. I better not wake up stolen, or something." she pointed out. 

Draco scoffed, but smiled pleasingly, and placed a hand over the one around his neck, "I got you, I won't let go." 

"Good.." she answered back; sleep catching her soon afterwards. 

Hearing the Hermione's calm breaths, Draco turned to dawn on her face. Her eyes closed in a peaceful state, her rosy lips enticingly opened a small crevice, and her pale skin shining snow-white within the dim light of the moon; Draco couldn't think of anything he'd seen, more beautiful than what he was marveling to. 

Placing a light kiss on her forehead, Draco whispered huskily, "Please love me too, Hermione?" and closed his eyes to sleep. 

¤~¤   


* * *

  
*Thanks to*   
[starting from chapter 3; ending with chapter 4] 

**Beth** (Thanks for the review! I hope you read more and still thought it was wonderful^_^)   
**Slytherins R Sexy **(LOL, more snogging soon! Snape won't get sacked, I like him as a character too; he's so mysterious *_*. Thanks for the review! BTW: Slytherins are sexy! ^_^)   
**little girl with green uniform** (Ah, that time will come soon!)   
**genie*** (LOL, I don't like Pansy, from how they describe her in book, and so Draco shouldn't either in my story. Thanks!)   
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**porkypop** (Thanks!!!! *hugs* I'm so glad you like my fics so much *tear, tear* I'll keep writing just for you! Also, about my other fic, I'm having very bad writer's block with that one.. so I don't know if I'll continue it anytime soon.. I seriously need to hire a muse or something. Anyways, yes it is SUPER CUTE!!! lol ^_^)   
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**oreo of love** (Hehe, the closet one is called --i think-- "Seven minutes of heaven". I should do that in one of the later chapters! lol, well thanks oreo! *hugs* Heck yeah there's gonna be snogging.. but that's not 'til later ^_^)   
**Angel Meiling** (You'll see soon enough how Hermione and Draco get together, but this chapter is a part of that reason ::grins madly:: Thank you!!)   
**Fire Goddess **(I really liked your extremely long review, I appreciate it when a reader can give me every opinion they have! Thanks for loving my fic; I also love yours!!! So in the Yule ball, eh? I can't wait!! *_* ::keeps mouth closed about it:: I won't tell a soul! lol)   
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**DarkIllusion** (Thanks for the review! I do hope you liked the last chapter, as well as this one! ^_^)   
**Mirielle **(Spin the bottle, I had to put that game in there and make Draco.. hehe.. cheat! lol. Snape isn't evil, I really regret not explaining that in the 4th chapter... -_-; but yes, that ending was sweet! More toothache coming soon!)   
**Hermione **(LOL 'Fantabulous'!! I love that word now!!! ^_^ Thank you so much!!!)   
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**Jivanna** (Well, with good reason, Snape acted acutely 'silly' as in your opinion; this is explained in this chapter. I hope you look it over and understand that I'm not trying to turn Snape to a coniving bastard ^_^;. About the whole male version of the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.. do you realize how funny that idea may be?!! lol, ::Snape: "Cut off her pinky!"::)   
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**lux **(Snape's OOC-ness, is explained, so sorry I didn't explain it in the fourth chapter ^_^;; I'm glad you liked it though, thank you!)   
**Natasha** (o.o; but the parts where Hermione and Snape talk about her parents deaths were very necessary to the story... Hermione thinks Snape was part of it... but he's not... ack! too much info! Well anyways, you'll understand more as we get deeper in details! Thanks a lot!! *hugs* I'll try not making it too dark.. but I can't swear on it..)   
**Trewyn McHael** (O.O;; I know plagiarism is illegal, I'm so stupid not to include that!! Well, I might was well do it now: *Disclaimer for a line in chapter 4* One of Snape's lines is borrowed fromt the movie Gladiator.. which is a GREAT movie!! You all should watch it if you haven't!! Erm.. anyways I don't own it.. so don't sue me! I'm so sorry! It won't happen again! ::cowers::)   
**tickle the dragon **(LOL, great school oxymoron motto! ^_^ Anyways, hope you understand Snape's actions in the last chapter had good reasons. Thanks for the reviews!! *hugs*)   
**RonLover** (LOL, ::in monotone:: Deep.. yes... xD!!! Funny!! Thanks for the review!!)   
**IcePrincess **(.. I have never read that story... why isn't the author here anymore? Well, anyways, thanks so much!)   
**SaPpHire^iCe** (I'm glad you liked the beginning chapters! Thank you! Well, I hope you understand why Snape was OOC now? ^_^)   
**michee** (Aw!! You get double hugs for such a heartwarming review! *hugs x2* lol! About Ron and Harry, there is a slight.. attraction, especially for Ron, but that won't happen here @.@... Well, I hope you understand why Snape acted all evil on chapter 4! Thanks so much!)   
**Sassy** (Thank you!!)   
**jezebel **(Ah!! Brilliance!! *hugs* Thanks so much!!)   
**Unholy Deity **(You have no-idea how I'm going to portray her powers later... o.o iz gonna be freak-ness in da house! lol, thanks!!)   
**Camille** (Double hug!! *hugs x2* Love the review!! I'm very glad you think that way! ^_^ Lots of thanks!!)   
**Micaela **(AH!!! Another double hug! *hugs x2* I was really happy to read your review... but when you mention Grammar.. I panicked!! o.o.. I'm gonna look over my chapters more.. lol thanks!!)   
**Funky Funky Chiken **(LOL, first of all, great name! And thanks for summarizing it as Powerful!! I think that also! ^_^)   
**Viverz **(Thoughts from the those characters will be explained more in the next chapter! ^_^ thanks a lots!!!!)   
**EMMA MONTGUNARY **(Who said I was a muggle? o.O.. I might be a Death Eater.. bwhahhaa!!! LOL, funny review by the way! Thanks bunches!)   
**Rikku** (LOL, Snape's got reasons.. don't blame him, blame me and maybe Voldemort ^_~! lol thanks for the review though!)   
Etoshi (You-- you said awesome too!! *hugs*!! Thanks you!!!) 

**---Just for the not letting other people feel left out, I'll give everyone 3 extra hugs! *hugs x3* Ahh, there, feel better?--**

A/N: I hope the whole Snape thing is fixed... I wanted to save the explanationg in the next chapter although I should've given a warning at least... Anyways, Thank you reviewers for brightening my day/week/life! ^_________________^ -huge smile for all!-   
Also, next chapter will explain more of what Draco, Harry, and Ron were talking about when Draco asked them to explain everything about Hermione's summer; and more about Snape and his conflict between the control over his actions and Voldemort. Oh yeah.. more fluff, the darkness is sifting.. but it'll come back *_*. 

**Bwhahahaha!!!.......... ¬_¬; .. ahem.. anyways...**

Thanks again, and have a nice day! 


	6. Deep thinking; Realizations of souls..

**The Superior Quality**   


* * *

¤~¤~¤ 

Chapter six:

_"Who does?_

_When did it start?_

_Why?"_

Deep thinking; Realizations of souls..

¤~¤ 

Her eyes fluttering open, her ears rang from a loud distinct call from afar. Sudden realization struck her; she looked down at where her head was at, she swallowed hard. Draco was there. 

Carefully pulling away her head from his chest, she struggled to slip out as she felt something weighing one of her hands down. She looked down to what it was, and smiled at the sight. Draco had promised her in the night that he wouldn't let her go, evidently he kept his word; his hand was still holding hers. She felt a nag of going back into the covers and join him in his slumber, but the voices and noises pulled her away from the thought. 

"Mr. Malfoy?! Ms. Granger?!" -the voice, loud, and just outside her door. She heard the portrait swing closed, and gasped. Professor McGonagall was inside and looking for her. 

She gave an inaudible curse, and studied her dilemma. What would McGonagall think if she saw her in room, with Draco sleeping on top of her bed? Hermione couldn't risk the thought, and decided to hurry as footsteps neared her door. 

"Draco!" she shook him in desperation, her voice small and cracked, "Wake up! You need to leave now!" 

Gray eyes met her brown ones, "What.." Draco muttered sleepily. 

Hermione forced him up; he protested mildly, he was still half asleep. 

"McGonagall is here!" Hermione shrieked to him, and his face soon became grave. 

Flinging the sheets out of the way, getting up to his feet; Draco grabbed his slippers, "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?!" he asked silently; McGonagall's questing yells just yards away from Hermione's door. 

"I've only woken up at the sound of her coming in!" Hermione fought back. She began to roughly push him towards the door to the bathroom they shared, "You go back to your room and come out first!" 

Draco opened the bathroom entrance door and nodded, tossling his hair in front of his eyes at his rush. 

Smiling at the boyish look in his face, Hermione gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, "And act like you've just woken up, and slightly confused!" she added. 

Hinting a bit of pink on his cheeks, Draco perplexedly eyed her, "But I have just woken up.... and now I feel a bit confused." 

Rolling her eyes at the short grin that soon appeared in Draco's face, Hermoine shut the door and heard his quick shuffling footsteps to his room. 

"Ms. Granger? I know you are here, Lady Beatrix has told me you came in late last night!" McGonagall was now in front of her door; apparently she had figured she was here because of the portrait. Hermione was a little annoyed, the damn portrait told her off! She thought of the reason why McGonagall could just get the fact that she did not want to be helped by her. 

A sudden click of a different door opening, and Draco's voice in his best 'half asleep' voice was now interoggating Professor McGonagall. 

"Professor?" Draco said in a surprised demeanor, "What's all the ruckus?" 

"Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall was now turning face to him and seemed to be stepping towards his side; Hermione sighed, "Ms. Granger is here, is she not?" 

There was long pause; Hermione knew Draco couldn't think up of backing a reason for an answer as 'no', so it was fine if he said yes. She only hoped he'd make a good excuse to prevent her from coming in her room. 

"Yes, she's here." Draco answered truthfully, "She's sleeping, as far as I know. She came in late last night, she couldn't take the hospital bed. I think it would be best to quiet down and leave her at peace. I don't think she had much sleep." 

Hermione silently praised Draco. 

"But," Professor McGonagall interveened, "did you not understand that she was under a spell yesterday evening? How could have she woken up?" 

There was another eerie pause, Hermione took a deep breath, _'.. a dream.. I woke up from that damn dream, I don't even know meant...'_ she shut her eyes tightly and opened them again. Before her mind could drift into more of the dream, she heard Draco's voice respond: 

"I have no clue, Professor, maybe it wore off?" Draco sounded a bit nervous, "Anyways, it's best to keep her to herself in sleep for now." 

The clicking of McGonagall's heels was soon drifting towards the portrait door, "Of course. I hope she is better?" 

Hermione couldn't hear anything, but she knew Draco probably nodded to her. 

"Well," McGonagall swung the portrait door open, "if that's the case, I shall leave then. But under a request," -Hermione's brain raced, _What was she talking about?_- "Mrs. Weasley is here now, and she will attend her when she wakes." 

Hermione groaned at the what she heard, she bet everything that this was Ron's doing. Small footsteps soon passed through the portrait door. 

"Hullo, Mr. Malfoy!" a cheery voice cried, a voice only belonging to the person Hermione could think of. 

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley." Draco's responded, "How's your day?" 

"Fine, deary." Mrs. Weasley came closer in the room, "Where's Hermione? Is she up yet?" 

Draco gave a small 'no'. 

"Oh, alright. I'll wait out here then, you see, I'll be watching over her for the next few days. You don't mind now do you, deary?" 

Hermione slumped to the floor, she was being watched once more. It wasn't that she hated Mrs. Weasley, in fact she loved the short, round woman; it was just that she suddenly felt like a pitiful child. 

"Of course not." Draco answered slowly, "I'm sure it's for her own benefit." 

"I must be off then," McGonagall stepped out, "Molly, please inform Hermione of her schedule, and Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you dress up for breakfast, it's a quarter to six." with that, she closed the portrait door behind her. 

Hermione, walking briskly to her door, opened it slowly and peeked out. Her eyes widened as Mrs. Weasley soon spotted her. With a quick stride, Hermione was now crushed under Mrs. Weasley's arms. 

"Oh my dear Hermione!" Mrs. Weasly cried out, tears forming at the edge of her eyes, "I was so worried, hun! When I heard what that awful man has done to you!" she began to grumble out the next few words. 

Giving a small breathless laugh, Hermione smiled kindly to warm woman, "Hello Mrs. Weasley. Ron's request, eh?" 

Mrs. Weasley gave a chuckle, "You know how stressed little Ronny could be sometimes. I suppose it was him, since Madam Pomfrey wasn't too happy to 'message' for my assistance." 

Wrapping her arms around the round woman, Hermione almost let tears out, remembering what it was like to hug her mother. She pulled out quickly and asked her to sit. 

Draco, on the other hand, told his excuse to Hermione, "I have to dress up, I've got to be there early you know?" 

Hermione nodded and gave a smile, "Thanks again." 

Returning the smile, Draco headed in his room with a quick, 'anytime'. 

Looking back at Mrs. Weasley, she blushed at the look she was now giving her. 

"You and Mr. Malfoy? You know Ron will snap?" Mrs. Weasley eyed her above her glasses, a smirk tugging her lips. 

Hermione giggled, "Mrs. Weasley!" she egged, "Don't start it now." 

Mrs. Weasley only smiled, "So how are you since yesterday?" 

"I'm.. surprisingly fine. As you can see, I'm a little bit relaxed right now." she gave meak smile. 

"I can see that." Mrs. Weasley replied, "Well, you might want to know more as to why I'm here." -Hermione nodded- "Well, Professor McGonagall, along with Professor Dumbledore, has thought that maybe you might want a little more privacy away from other students and... teachers for a while, is that not true?" 

Hermione looked solemn, "I would have requested it, if not offered. I.. don't really want to face everyone right now.." 

"That's quite alright." Mrs. Weasly brought a hand up on Hermione's back, calmly reassuring her, "They have offered that, if you'd like, you may stay here to do studies. I will bring your homework, among other things you may need, like meals." 

"But Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione looked her in dismay, "That's asking too much of you!" 

Laughing softly, Mrs. Weasley eased the girl down, "Not at all. I have been bored at home, what with Mr. Weasley spenting most of his days at the office, I don't mind this at all. Besides, who said I was doing this alone. We do have Ron to thank for all this you know; I suppose he can't get away with it without contributing himself?" 

A wide smiled played on Hermione's lips, "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." 

Mrs. Weasley smiled kindly and wrapped her arms around Hermione once more, "You're most welcome, dear." 

¤~¤ 

-**Draco Malfoy**- 

_Another hectic and timid morning, much like the day before._

_Here I am now, sitting dully on my seat up front of the Great Hall; swishing my porridge around my bowl, digging holes in the mush, only to have them fill back in. I gave a sigh, it was too much of a bore here._

_I wish I was up in the my dorm now with Hermione. After last night... I gave a inward laugh; she actually understood. Somewhere, inside, I had imagined her to act differently. Somewhere along the lines of baffled, angry, frustrated; not at all like the reaction she gave me last night... and somehow, I was very pleased it was different. I even almost had a heart attack at her feeble request to sleep beside her.. I thought she was some sort of crazed-loony! Not that I didn't 'want' to sleep beside her on her bed; it was just such a 'un-normal' request, but then again she was Muggle. Those people are very odd and different._

_Not that I still hate Muggles.. I mean, I'm in love with one for crying out loud!_

_I guess with Hermione, everything will be different for me. I think.. she was my first love? Well.. there was that little deal with Pansy.. but that's not the same. I enjoy being with Hermione, I enjoy the way she laughed, smiled; I enjoy being in love with her all together._

_Smiling, I thought; I actually felt my love for her grow faster than ever; a simple smile, the peck on the cheek, these things make me want to sprout wings and fly. Although, I wasn't sure what she felt about me. Does she just think of me as a 'close' friend? Or does she think more? Either way, I was planning to ask her..._

_Grumbling, I brooded again, over the fact that I couldn't be with her right now. If I was, maybe then I would ask her and find out. She couldn't just think of me as a friend, could she? She flirts, for crying out loud! I gave long sigh; I do hope she feels the same.. otherwise I wouldn't know what would happen to me..._

_A sudden wave of silence made me look up; people from the other tables were peeking eyes at me over their glass of juice. What's their deal? Of course I knew the answer to that, the event that took place yesterday were now widely known around the school. As a result of this, the Slytherin house was now hated more than ever. Excluding, me. So they eyed me in concern, maybe waiting for me to ramble out loud about it._

_A smile formed on my lips; I wasn't hated, which was actually a nice feeling. I've already had some of the Hufflepuff girls come up to me in worry over Hermione, and I was more than happy to explain that she was okay. This surprised me; they actually asked me before Harry and Ron._

_What about those two? I turn my eyes to the Gryffindor table where both Harry and Ron ate in silence; they looked a bit, blank. Both not talking about Quidditch, Snape, Hermione, nothing. But then I thought, they don't know Hermione was up last night and had come back to her room. They must think that she's still in the infirmary._

_I should tell them before class today... do I have class with them today? Let's see.. first hour.. we have Hagrid, so yes, I'll tell them then. I'll tell them Hermione is up and walking, and she's absolutely fine._

_'Fine'? Now that I think about it, I don't think she still is. Last night, when Harry and Ron told me what exactly happened during her summer, I don't think I can believe every joyful detail her face and expressions hold. Harry did say she was a very good, 'faker', and I believe him. Never thought such a thing had happened to her when 7th year started._

_Even if she did act a little bit relaxed and happy last night, I think.. no, I know! she was faking it! She was trying to hide it again, like when Harry told me how she changed her attitude so quickly before school started. She's trying to push her problem away, denying its presence.. which I know wasn't any good for her, but what could I do? I couldn't stand her looking so gloomy or in tears... should I just play along then?_

_No... I couldn't do that. Hermione has to get through this... she's strong enough, I know._

_Then again... I wasn't sure if she was._

_A flicker of movement moved my eyes to a figure leaning at the corner of my table; it was Pansy. She held a smirk in her face, her eyes intently to mine, and her cheap, French perfume surrounded the air around me._

"Draco, how's the Mudblood?" --_I was annoyed enough, with her presence, but she had to bring up Hermione with spite-- _"I trust Granger isn't doing too well? .. Let's only hope." _she chortled with laughter at the last sentence._

_I felt my hand squeeze the neck of the spoon, and my teeth gritting; I shot her with a furious look, _"10 points from Slytherin, Pansy, and we have you to thank for this." _I announced it loudly, for the whole hall to hear._

_There were a few short laughs and giggles from the room. Pansy only scowled at my face, looking like she was ready to spit lava at me._

"I don't know what's up with you and Granger, but I know this!" --_she was hissing at me, looking utterly displeased; like I care for what she had to say?-- _"There is no way she'll take you away from me! I know your father, and if I tell him this little 'relationship' with that damn Mudblood--" 

_All I had to do was bring my hands up to her neck, and squeeze... but I kept my hands down and listened to her with no-cares for her words._

"I know you'll be in for it! So watch who you're hanging around, Draco!" --_she finished scornfully._

_I gave a chuckle, and eyed her with venomous eyes, _"Pathetic. Pansy, really, threatening me by narcing to my father? Like hell, I care!" 

_This seemed to upset her more; her face twisting uglier with anger than ever, _"I won't let her take you away from me!" 

_I eyed her back the same as before, and replied to her in a quiet and frightening tone, _"Too afraid that I'm rejecting you, Pansy? I didn't like you before, any more than I do now. Right now, you are snot to me; snot that hangs irritatingly on the roof of my nose." --_I offered her a napkin-- _"Here, 'Snot', take it. I think you're starting to drip." 

_Her face was resembled that of pure, white, seething anger. I swear there would be smoke coming out of her ears, if it ever was possible._

"Now leave me the hell alone, before I take off more points that you're worth." --_I was absolutely glad and relieved that she went on, staggering back to the Slythering table without another word._

_The room was still filled with mild sniggering; I just smiled at my breakfast, took a piece of toast, and bit it._

-**Harry Potter**- 

_I had just witnessed today's most impressive act, (a surprise, really) of Malf-- I mean Draco, telling that ugly Pansy Parkinson off!_

_It pulled me right out of my glum mood, and I suppose it did the same to Ron and everyone else in the Gryffindor table!_

_Watching Pansy stomp to her seat, then casting eyes to Draco, I saw him wearing a smile--or was it a smirk? Was he 'proud' of embarassing his Slytherin friends? More off, was he actually subtracting points from his own House?_

_I think, it had just occured to me how much Draco had changed... though the reason I'm thinking why, is very... disturbing._

_I know why he has changed.._   
_I know why he is the way he is now.._

_And I can't help but feel.. jealous._

_It wasn't that hard to notice he had fallen in love with Hermione. After all, what else could make him change other than a strong emotion such as love? I could tell, when he eyes Hermione, he is absolutely smittened and stunned._

_And I have no doubt that.. Hermione might be feeling the same too._

_Wow.. my 'glumness' is coming back. Over this? Well, yeah... Draco wasn't the only one who looked smittened at the sight of Hermione._

_There was me..._

_When did it all start? I guess, during the summer._

_I stayed over at Ron's since the end of the fifth year; ever since Voldemort became stronger than before, I knew staying with the Dursleys would only cause so much trouble to them since they were only Muggles. When I heard of the.. incident with Hermione, it was too late to rush by her side to comfort her because the Daily Prophet did not acknowledge the event, neither did the Ministry. So actually, it was a month after all of that before I found it out._

_Anyways, of course Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both asked the Ministry to watch over Hermione, since she literally had no one else to go to, and had to stay in a hospital._

_I really admire the Weasleys..._

_Well.. when the Ministry gave them permission, and Hermione was sent to the Burrow, she looked absolutely lifeless. Dead._

_At the first night of her stay, she didn't talk at all. She looked like she wasn't even breathing! That frightened me, and sent chills down my spine at the sight of her eyes. They were so empty, shallow; they weren't the usual sparkling brown._

_During the night, I heard muffled cries from her room and decided to see what was wrong. I opened her door and found her crouched on the floor, her sheets tangled around her, and sobbing._

_I immedietly rushed by her side, finding her feverishly hot, and her nose bleeding with warm blood._

_Helping her up to her bed, I wiped some of the blood off her nose and asked her what happened. She replied with nothing, just looked at me cautiously._

_I asked her again, calling out her name over and over and asking if she even knew me. She never said a word._

_Giving up, I sat beside her, watching her intensely and waited. It wasn't as easy to just sit there and watch, I was getting sleepy, and so was she. At one moment, she crawled up to a cornered side of her bed and wrapped her hands around her knees, casting her head down to rest, but kept her eyes opened. I followed beside her, and calmly continued my waiting._

_As my eyes drooped.. I jumped the sound of her timid voice._

_'I had a dream...' she said softly, staring at her knees, 'and I don't know what happened.. but it wasn't any good.. then I saw my mum.. dad.. and a lot of red.'_

_Tears were spilling aimlessly down her cheeks, and before I could comfort her or reach her, she moved into my arms in an instant, hiding her face and her grief._

_And for the whole night, I cradled her in an embrace until eventually sleep overcame us. That morning, I opened my eyes to see her solemn face in front of mine, I knew I had a new feeling for her._

_It's too bad though, I knew in the end of all this, it wasn't going to be me by her side forever. Draco seemed to be leading far from Ron and me._

_Like yesterday, when he had managed to stop her from running into the Forbidden Forest; could I have done that? Could have I kept her from getting hurt? Could have I held her and calm her down? No.. I probably couldn't. I mean, yes I could do have ran after her; I'm not some weakling, but I wasn't sure if I was able to get her to calm down, or better yet, lead her back to where McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, Ron, and I stood. Draco seemed to be helping out more than I could eversince the first night in the Burrow; I wonder if maybe it's because Hermione might be returning his feelings?_

_Well.. I'm glum again, poking my porridge like Draco was doing a few minutes ago. I turned to Ron; his eyes steely fixated on Draco. I bet he figured out the little something about Draco and Hermione too. Was he jealous also? From the looks of it... yes._

_I slumped my shoulders down and gazed at my glass of pumpkin juice; it's half empty.. or is it half full?_

_I gave a pathetic sigh._

_Although I am glad Hermione will soon find happiness, I just can't stand the fact that it wasn't going to be with me..._

-**Ron Weasley**- 

_That Draco..._   
_Always has to show off, doesn't he?_

_I kicked the small beam supporting the table underneath, it shook the table only slightly. I wish I could've kicked harder.. but that'll just bring curious eyes to me._

_Back to that guy.. pfft, what a ego-maniac! So who cares if he took off Slytherin points, or poked fun of Pansy Parkinson? I don't! Draco's just a dumb, boastful Malfoy! Why, I would go up there right now and give him a punch in the face, because he's such a jerk!_

_......._

_You know, I'm really not sure why I hate him: Either the fact that he thinks he's so cool, or... or the fact that he's attracted to Hermione._

_I moved my eyes away from his view, and looked down at my empty bowl; maybe I hate him because of both? Ha.. definitely both._

_Partially my fault, I guess. I have been 'crushing' on Hermione since fourth year, but I didn't say anything. Why? Because I was.. I was.. too proud? Too shy? One or both of those._

_I was too proud to tell her I 'loved' her. She might have laughed at my face! Besides, we don't really get along well, and everyone knows that. I always had to be 'the-one-who's-right' when it comes to me and her. Then suddenly, we're paired together as a couple, what do you think the people will think? That I have given up on proving Hermione wrong? And I was too shy, to tell her, because it's my first time.. I might have ruined it! I might have made a fool at myself! Definitely, she'd laugh at my face for that._

_Well, because I'm such a loser of not telling her sooner, it looks like my chances in the future are more slim now than ever. Draco's getting closer and closer to her heart than I could ever get near.. damn him._

_Him and his 'I'm-so-cool' demeanor! Just because he's good looking, and every girl wants him, doesn't mean he's better than I am. He thinks just because he's a Head Boy and came from a wealthy family, he gets Hermione?!_

_I took a deep breath.. I know I'm overreacting, but it isn't my fault. I'm just really, really, angry that he's got a better chance with Hermione than I do._

_And about Hermione.. why would she actually return feelings with that.. git? He's only been friends with her for a week, and I have for 7 years! And still, she doesn't return feelings to me; you know, the kind I want her to return._

_I grumbled low, my foot ready to kick the beam underneath the table. When I was about raise my foot to kick, I noticed Harry (he was in front of me) look up above my head. What's he looking at? A shadow casted above my plate, just over the shadow of my head; someone was behind me._

_I looked back at Harry's face, he seemed to form a scowl; this person isn't someone he was really thrilled to see. I peered to the front of the Great Hall, and suddenly I knew who it was..._

_Tilting my head to the side and slightly looking upwards, I faced Draco with a ungrateful tone.._

-** Great Hall **- 

"What is it, Malfoy?" Ron drawled, his tone confident and placid. 

Draco eyed him with a scorn, "What's wrong with you? I came here to tell you and Harry about a little something I'm sure you'd both be glad to know." 

For a minute, Ron didn't respond; "So.. what is it?" he finally replied, still the same placid tone. 

Harry sighed and stood up, "Draco, you're bringing attention this way. Don't you think you should go back to your seat before we, especially you, get humiliated?" 

It was true, many of the students, and a couple of the teachers, all looked their way. Draco shook his head, "So what?" he shot back angrily, "So you can't handle a little bit of embarrassment or suspicion for the sake of Hermione? I thought better of you," Draco looked down at Ron, "--and you." 

With this new news, Ron's ears perked up and his face brightened, "Hermione? What about her? Did she wake? Is she okay?" he stood up now, in front of Draco, and eyed him in desperation, "Did Madam Pomfrey call my mother?!" 

The room filled with silence before it gave a wave of giggles from the watching crowd. 

Draco smirked, "Would you like share anything else, Ron? Do speak louder so everyone could hear." 

Harry, who also was on his feet, got Draco's attention, "What were you going to say about Hermione, Draco?" he asked softly. 

Turning to face Harry, Draco wiped his smirk, "I just wanted to tell you that she is awake, and that she's up in her dorm." he smiled and glanced at Ron, "And of course, Ronny's mother is there with her. I wouldn't dare forget to tell little Ronny that." 

The giggles and chuckles spread around them like wildfire. 

"Okay, shut up now!" Ron was surprisingly purple-faced, not red. 

Draco stopped his chuckling and looked back at Harry, "I'll tell you more during Hagrid's class. There's something else, also. It's very important and I really need to ask you about it." 

Harry nodded to him, and watched as Draco left the Great Hall. 

The grumbling Ron slowly went back to his seat; purple-faced and irritated. Harry sat back down also. 

"What do you think he wants to ask about?" Harry whispered towards Ron; glad that the eyes were now drifting away from the two of them. 

Ron looked up at him with uncaring eyes, "How the bloody hell would I know... but I'm not answering his questions.. I'm still not sure about trusting him." 

Harry's eyes softened in worry, "Yes, but... Hermione does, Ron." 

At this, Ron intentively eyed him, "So?! Why should that matter to me? I don't have to agree with everything Hermione does, thinks, or says!" 

"Ron, just understand.. he's only trying to help her." Harry added, his voice convincing and softer. 

"Well, you know what? So am I!" Ron felt his voice squeeze, "And she hadn't noticed that, has she?! So why the hell should I care?" 

Harry bit his lip, "Because, Ron... you aren't exactly helping when you get angry at her. You don't actually help when you scold her for every mistake she does. And you certainly don't help any if you treat her like she doesn't know any better, especially after all this has happened to her. Besides that, Ron, you can't help but care." 

Ron became silent, his eyes downcast and focused on his bowl. 

- **Head Boy/Girl dorm** - 

As Draco entered the hall he had been headng to, he rushed forth to the beautiful portrait of Lady Beatrix, Mistress of Hope. Draco wasn't sure why she was one of the many pictures in Hogwarts, he had never heard her mentioned in books before. Stepping up to it, Draco gave a smile and Lady Beatrix reflected it. 

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy! Fine day, neh?" she pushed aside a golden strand away from her eyes, and briskly patted down her silky, blue lace of a 'royal' dress. 

Draco nodded, "Very fine, indeed. And yours; the same?" 

"Yes." Lady Beatrix nodded, her curls bouncing up and down, "Here to check the lady, are we?" she asked in a teasing voice, "Are you afraid she might not be well in this fine day, sir knight?" she gave a small giggle. 

Red creeped over his face, Beatrix was comparing him to the knight and Hermione to the princess; he looked up at her in innocence, "No.. I simply had forgotten something.." he lied, but Beatrix could see right through him. 

"Whatever you say, fine knight. Ride your stallion and save the ill-ladened lady. No beautiful princess should ever be graced with sickness in such a wonderful day." she gave caring smile, "Password, good knight?" 

Draco chuckled, "Superior Quality, my fine lady." he gave a bow. 

Lady Beatrix slowly opened the portrait door and gave him a short wink before closing. 

"Fine conversation you had with Beatrix, Draco." Hermione asked in glee from the couch; catching Draco unexpectedly, "So from what I understand, I am the 'ill-ladened princess' and you are my knight? How very... alluring." 

Draco gave a scoff and smiled, "Don't get any ideas, I'm not about to 'kiss-ass' for you. Beatrix is always like that anyways." 

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Well of course she's always like that, Beatrix came from a nitwit family." the look Draco gave her in return looked as if he is accusing her of saying something nasty, "She did! She told me! Even ask her yourself." 

"She told you she came from a 'nitwit' family?" Draco asked puzzled, "Why would she tell you something like that?" 

"Simple," Hermione crossed her arms, "she's a nitwit herself." 

Draco bursted into a laugh and walked towards a seat near Hermione. As he walked, he studied Hermione's looks. She was wearing, what looked like, Muggle clothing; a simple white shirt, and flannel shorts, revealing her long slender legs. 

Catching Draco's eyes trailing down her waist, Hermione folded her legs in front of her, "Excuse you." she said haughtily. 

His face shot to hers with a pleased smile; he sat down, "Hermione has slender legs much like a grown woman... a quality that can't be excused." 

Hermione flustered, "You can shut it now!" 

"What's wrong, Hermione? Am I embarrassing you?" Draco looked at her with satisfaction as she reddened, "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. You're beautiful." 

Although her face was almost crimson red, she gave a smirk and covered her flattery, "Yeah I know. I'm such a 'guy magnet'. I mean, look at you, I caught you in my line without even trying." 

Draco smiled, "Of course you did." he crossed his arms like she, and eyed her pensively, "Which brings me to a question for you. I know you know, and I know you aren't in at least bit 'worried' about it. But I don't know how you really feel about it." 

Hermione looked to the side, "You mean... if I'm going to return your feelings?" she took a deep sigh, "I can't decide that now.." 

"Why not?" Draco asked quickly, "Is it because you're a Muggle and I'm not, and my father's a Death Eater and-" 

"No!" Hermine jumped in, "It's just that... I'm not really sure what I'm feeling right now. Actually, right now I'm feeling kind of blank.. but not because of you. It's from, you know, what happened yesterday." she looked at him with apologizing looks, "And I'm sorry, I just can't think straight about it, for now." 

Hermione swore she saw Draco flash an angry look, but it disappeared before she could even notice it was really there. She sighed inwardly as his lips formed a small smile. Hermione smiled back, and watched as the man turned his eyes to his shoes; his platinum-blond hair cascading slightly over his eyes. 

"I understand." Draco said softly, "I wouldn't force you to start something if you aren't ready." 

"Yeah, I know." Hermione smiled, "If you want to know, there's definitely something about you that I can't seem to get enough of." Hermoine stood up and started to walk to her room. 

Hearing this 'extremely good' news, Draco shot up from his seat, "You mean... you 'like' me now, right?!" 

Hermione sauntered in her walk to her door. She opened it and turned a head to the side and grinned, "M-aybe." she said sweetly. 

If Draco wasn't his usual proud and formal self, he could've been bouncing on the walls by now, but being a Malfoy, Draco reacted by keeping his cool. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms across his chest, which was puffed out proudly, "Well, I think I really needed to know that." he said coolly. 

Seeing the 'trying-to-be-cool-about-it' in Draco's stance, Hermione giggled, "Well, you better get to class Draco. Mrs. Weasley will be in here in about 30 seconds. She'll scold you for visiting me at this time, when you should really be heading for class." 

In an instant, Draco's eyes went to the hanging clock above the fireplace mantle, "Oh..." with that he quickly made his way to the portrait door, harshly swung it open, and clambered out. While he did, he tripped slightly and almost fell, he gave of a loud swear. 

Hermione laughed when Lady Beatrix started to lecture him about the word he had said and Draco started to apologize quickly. Settling down her laughter, Hermione could suddenly hear Mrs. Weasley's questioning voice. Draco said something in a rush, and ran off. 

As Mrs. Weasley stepped in, her hands carrying a tray of soup from the kitchens, she looked up to Hermione who was smiling widely, "I've got you soup, for later." she paused, "Hermione, do you know what that boy was doing here?" 

Hermione looked up innocently, "Yes," she responded slowly, "he was here to, I think, deliver a message to the sickly princess. He wanted her to feel better, and also ask a question." 

Mrs. Weasley pondered for a minute, "Ah.. and did he make the princess feel better, and did he get the answer he wanted?" a charming smile in her face as she placed the tray on the small coffee table. 

"Yes, to the first one," Hermione stepped in her room, "and I guess, yes to the second too, by how well he took it." she shut her door. 

¤~¤   


* * *

Author's Notes:   
I'm very thankful for all you who have reviewed and enjoyed my fic! Thanks so much!!! I love you all!!! 

Anyways, since I've been getting some requests, if you'd like me to email you when I update this story, please say so in your review or email me! Yup, you can!! If you do say it in your review, please put your email in it if you are not a ffnet author, or else if you are a ffnet author I could just look up your name and get your email from there if you'd like. 

Other than that, I'd like to know if you think I'm getting *too* fluffy or *too* mushy with all the Draco/Hermione stuff. ^_^; Because I'm starting to think that I'm overdoing it... and I don't want to do that. So constructive critisicm please? If you have any? 

Thanks again, much luv!!!   
~Strife21 

A little recommendation:   
You've absolutely got to read "From Seclusions Sprouts..." by glace. A very nice D/Hr fic!!!! It's so sweeeeet!!!! aWWWWW read it please?! Here's a link : a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=562763">From Seclusion Sprouts..."/a> 


	7. Ruined chances and unwanted separation; ...

**The Superior Quality**   


* * *

¤~¤~¤ 

Chapter seven:

_"Whenever there is a perfect chance_

_to fall in love,_

_there's always going to be something_

_to ruin it."_

Ruined chances and unwanted separation; two pairs of shadowed eyes.

¤~¤ 

  
  
  
  
  


" 'arry! Ron! an' er.. Mr. Malfoy..." Hagrid called out as the three boys made their way to his hut, his voice trailed off uneasily to the last person he noticed, "Go 'bout and join ye houses an' wait for class to start." 

"Hullo Hagrid," Harry greeted, he saw the large man stare unbelievably to Draco, "Are we early?" he asked so his attention was to him. 

Hagrid blinked, "Ye' way early." His eyes turned soft, "How's Hermione? She doin' any bet'r since yesterday?" 

"She's doing quite good." Draco answered, getting Hagrid's eyes to him, "She's up in her dorm." 

"Good te' hear." Hagrid smiled. He gestured the boys to move along towards the other kids near the front of his hut, but kept Harry back with him. As soon as Ron and Draco left a great distance, Hagrid turned to Harry, "What's the deal with Draco and ye?" 

Harry sighed, "We're friends with him. He helped Hermione." 

"I see," Hagrid grunted, "And ye' sure 'bout trustin' him?" his eyes narrowing to Draco's back. 

"Not really.." Harry replied slowly, "but he has been really helpful, and Hermione trusts him." Harry bit his lip, not wanting to go into the 'specific' facts about the two. 

Looking a little worry some, Hagrid gave a breath, "Ye' take care around 'im. He may be actin' friendly now, but ye' never know." 

Harry nodded, and went up to join Ron and the rest of the Gryffindors. 

"Harry! Finally, someone who I know will talk!" Lavender came to him suddenly, she looked a little red around the eyes. 

"What is it?" Harry said puzzled, he looked at Ron who had a grumpy face. 

Lavender rolled her eyes, "Ron won't tell me anything about Hermione and how she is, and I know you will." she came closer, her eyes dimming, "So... how is she?" 

About ten other Gryffindors came up to him around that time and echoed the question. Harry scratched his shoulder, "I guess she's okay now, since she's up in her room and walking around." 

There was a relieved sigh around the crowd, "But.. why is she not here?" Neville suddenly asked, his face looking clearly like Lavender's. 

Harry shrugged, _Should I tell them she's embarrassed to be seen?, _"McGonagall is going to keep her isolated for a while." he explained; it wasn't that far from the truth, Draco had told them that McGonagall has asked her stay in her room. 

"Oh.." Lavender said slowly, "Well I can understand. After what happened the other day, I would be devastated if I was her. I only hope she could come down soon." Soon after that, many of the Gryffindor students resolved back to their conversations with their friends. 

Harry walked up to Ron, who was staring clear away towards the Forbidden Forest, "Ron? What's the matter with you?" he asked carefully, but Ron didn't answer. 

Sighing, Harry watched Hagrid come along and started the class. 

¤~¤ 

After their class with Hagrid, Harry and Ron ran inside Hogwarts to prepare for their next class. They had well over 7 minutes to get their books before heading straight there, and after gathering their things, they were met by Draco in the halls. 

"About the thing I wanted to ask you." Draco reminded, his eyes looking over to Harry with determination. 

Harry nodded, he had no clue what he was going to ask but he was prepared to answer it. He knew it had to do something with Hermione, "What is it?" 

"Not here." he said softly, and gestured Harry to follow him towards a secluded hall. Ron kept his stance, a scowl on his face. 

Harry noticed this and nodded to him that he didn't have to go. Ron scoffed and went to his next class with heavy footsteps. 

Arriving in a narrow hall full of landscape portraits, Draco stopped midway through the long walk and crossed his arms, "I think Hermione's at it again." he spoke cautiously low. 

With perked ears, Harry tried to jumble the meaning of Draco's words in his head, "How do you mean?" he asked pensively. 

"She claims she is fine." Draco turned his heels around, "And I could see it in her that she really isn't. My question is, should we let her, or should we not?" 

Seeing the great worry in Draco's eyes, Harry shook his head slowly, "You know if we let her, something like yesterday could happen again." he said in the same low voice as Draco, "But then again, I'm afraid there's nothing we could really do." 

His brows shifting into annoyance, Draco looked at him with disbelief, "That's it? No plan to do something about it? We could think of something to do, Harry, it's not like this is really a difficult task." 

"It's more difficult than you think." Harry snapped back, "You don't think we've tried something to help her all summer? There's nothing Hermione couldn't prove wrong in a 'plan' to help her. Believe me, she'll find a some sort of flaw with it, and then she'll stop cooperating." his voice was angry, and boomed with dismay. Harry knew saying this, he was only trying to help Draco. By the way last summer turned out, he had to make him understand that there wasn't any other way but to let Hermione resolve her problem by her way. 

"It's hard to help a girl like Hermione," Harry continued, "she's too smart. She'll judge it, and she doesn't like pity." 

There was a brief silence. Harry studied the man in front of him as he stood there, staring at his feet in thought. Sighing, Harry adjusted the bag over his shoulder, "Well I've got class in a minute." he said lastly before running out of the hall. 

¤~¤ 

A tall dark figure scurried away in the dusty sunset as he weaved through the thickets of the enormous forest. He had a mission, that he wouldn't dare refuse, from the Lord Voldemort himself. 

The orange leaves of autumn that lay around the ground, crunched softly under his feet as he swifted an even faster pace, "Come to me my dearie.." he chanted with coldness as he reached the front view of Hogwarts castle. 

¤~¤ 

It was well past 7 pm, and Hermione was more than pleased to be visited by Harry and Ron. Actually, they were there because Mrs. Weasley had asked them to bring her dinner. Draco, however, was already with her at the time; he told her he had finished his dinner early and had to so he could finish the homework he had missed the other day. 

"Hermione, it's great you're up." Harry said enthusiastically, "How are you?" he asked, but he knew what her answer was going to be. 

"I'm fine." Hermione smiled; Harry forced his meakly and received an 'I-told-you-so' glance from Draco by the couch. 

Hermione noticed the tray of food Ron was carrying and took it from him, "Hello Ron, it's nice of you to visit." 

For the first time since breakfast, Harry heard Ron speak, "Well it wasn't like I had a choice.." he said sarcastically and grinned, "It's good that you're doing fine now. I was worried you might have gone insane." 

Both Harry and Draco switched their eyes to Hermione, watching intently if she would spurt out about Ron's comment. Instead, she gave a warm smile to him and set down the tray of food on the coffee table, "I wouldn't want to do that. Remember how you reacted when I did?" 

Ron turned red and gave a laugh, "You're asking me if I forgot?" 

For half an hour, the four in the room talked about their day; Ron still refused to care if Draco was among the living, but Draco didn't mind. Soon after, Mrs. Weasley came in and shooed Ron and Harry out, "It's late, and all of you need to finish your homework and go to bed." 

Harry and Ron weren't about to complain, so they marched out with Mrs. Weasley, who was leaving to her own room and promising to be back at 6 in the morning. They said their goodnights, and waved as they left. 

"God, I thought that woman would never leave." Draco drawled as the portrait door closed. 

Hermione looked at him and pouted, "You don't like Mrs. Weasley?" 

"No, it's not that." Draco explained, "It's just she seems too much like a 'mother' around here, you know what I mea-" he stopped shortly after finding out what he was going to say. 

Hermione gave a meek smile and looked to the floor. 

"Sorry." Draco muttered, "I wasn't thinking." he felt foolish and guilty. 

Bringing her eyes to him, Hermione gave an 'almost genuine' smile, "It's alright, Draco. I know it just slipped; it's nothing really." 

Draco nodded, his eyes filled with apprehension. He noticed it again, the slight 'lie' in the way she smiled, and the falsify in her words. And her eyes, they held a dark shadow. He couldn't' stand to look at them and reflect back lie of his own, so he turned away and lifted his eyes to his book. He knew Harry would be right, it upsets him that he was. 

So for quite a while, they sat across from each other in stillness, each studying a book under their noses. 

Draco had grown uncomfortable at his seat on his couch, and moved on the floor. Propping his book against his raised knees, he leaned his back on the couch and continued reading. 

Hermione turned the page she was in, she shot a quick glance at Draco and what he was reading; she found him reading the same as hers, "What chapter?" she asked instantaneously, surprising Draco a bit. 

Draco looked up, noticed the large brown book in her hands and smiled, "I'm well in 12. How about you?" 

"Same. What page?" 

"354, paragraph 3. You?" 

"354, paragraph 4." Hermione gave a proud grin that Draco chuckled at. Getting an idea, Hermione stood up from her seat, she put her book away and headed over to where Draco sat on the floor. 

Draco looked up at her quizzically as she advanced to him and forced herself to sit at the unoccupied floor space between his knees. She sat down, her back against him, and her hands supporting the leather cover of the book in Draco's hands. 

"Might as well read with you." she said nonchalantly-- Draco felt his heartbeat quicken when he felt her lean against him-- "Tell me when you finish since I'm ahead." 

He didn't know if she had began to read again, he only knew he hadn't. Feeling Hermione close to him, his heartbeat almost seemed like it pounded loudly enough that she was able to hear. Her sweet scent of misty air lingered around his nose, he inhaled it deep in his lungs; her soft and tamed hair, softly grazed his left shoulder and arm. It felt wonderful, being around her this close. 

But he knew that this was another trick of hers. A trick to show him that she was already perfectly fine. A simple act of flirt, just to show him that she has indeed recovered, and had forgotten all about yesterday. 

"Are you finished with this page?" Hermione turned to him and asked, pulling him out of his daze. 

"Yeah," he replied softly, "you can turn the page." Hermione did and kept her reading. 

After her face wasn't in the sight of his, Draco formed a pitying expression as he looked at her. Suddenly he felt his eyes dim, and his fingers tingle. Cold air surrounded him, and his breath held itself in his throat. 

He didn't have any control over what he was doing next. 

¤~¤ 

-**Hermione Granger**- 

_I sat contented in the little space between his legs, my hands helping the support of the book, and my back leaning gently on his chest. I didn't know what made me do it, I was in a good mood._

_You'd think I'd be really reading with him, I'm not. I'm just skimming through it; I was nervous. He didn't really say anything when I sat down, was he angry? No, he was smiling when I turned to him. Then why is he so quiet? Maybe he's reading. But, knowing Draco, he would have immediately tried something by now._

_..._

_I think that like I want him to. A rather sick thought crossed my head and I gave myself a blow on the head, self-conciously of course, and went back to skimming._

_".. in the most time... De Lau de Fay... " --now my mind felt lost. It wasn't such a good idea to skim, I guess, but I couldn't concentrate._

_Then why did I sit here?_

_Okay, it's positive that I have an attraction to him.. but I tried to keep it not so serious. I didn't want to tell him that.. I think I do return his feelings, because I say 'I think'. I'm not sure, and it isn't easy trying to figure out whether I am because it's true, or if I am because I'm flattered._

_No one else would ever say that to me, no one has, that's what I was afraid of._

_Harry, nor Ron, had ever said I was 'beautiful' or that one of them loved me. Thinking about it, no one in Hogwarts has ever said something close to that. There was Krum, but where was he now? He had already left to his own life and left me hanging... he doesn't count._

_Then there was Draco; he lifted me. He made me want to forget everything that happened this summer...._

_I guess that's another reason why I'm attracted to him.. he makes me forget._

_It's a terrible thing I'm doing, hiding my problem. I didn't want to 'say' I had it, let alone show it. Depression isn't something that I was very proud of. The bad thing about this kind was, it was something beyond depression. Like Ron said, he thought I've gone 'insane' again._

_This depression was a like a silent virus, killing my insides and keeping me in the dark. The only way I know I could help myself with this was to hide._

_And since last night, I've been hiding, just as I did from the start of this year. Outside, I forced warm smiles, snappy words, and happy looks. Inside, I was slipping into a deep void, a great hole deep within, praying to get my life over it; my prayers always fail._

_I 'hide', from pitying eyes, fake smiles, and words that only tell me that they're sorry. It wasn't good enough to be sorry for me, and why are they sorry anyway? Because of what I went through, or still is? It's said like they could have went back in time and stopped it. They shouldn't waste their breaths, there wasn't anything they could've done to prevent it._

_I wish there was though..._

_But I know it was another scene in my cruel fate that was impossible to stop. Fate can be so bitter._

_A sudden wet, warm touch made me jump. It was Draco's lips, grazing my neck. I gave a gasp, _"Draco? What are you doing?" _ I asked softly, trying not to cringe as his tongue brushed a ticklish spot. I was surprised with what he was doing, but I was also curious. Even if he would try something, he wouldn't do it like this._

_He didn't respond, instead he kept to it, grabbed the book, threw it aside, and groped his hands on my legs. I started to panic, I wasn't sure what Draco was trying to do but I didn't like it._

_I quickly stood up and faced him on the floor, _"What the hell are you trying to pull?!" _ I yelled angrily, but stopped as soon I saw his eyes. They were.. blackened. They weren't gray, they were hazed black._

_He leapt to his feet, and without any warning, leapt to me and pinned me to the floor. I gave a cry, but he covered it with his hand and stared at me, intending to do something._

_I felt tears of fright rimming my eyes, and started to fight him off. It didn't help any, he had my legs locked under his, and his arms held mine beneath me._

_For a couple of seconds, he kept staring until suddenly, his face contorted. He groaned and shook his head; what's he doing? Then I thought for minute about his eyes... was he under an influence?_

"Draco.. what's happening?" _ I whispered from under his palm. He shook his head and flung it down to my left side._

"When... I t-tell you..." _he struggled to say. He sucked in a breath, _"Run... out.. and get.. Mc-McGonagall.." _I knew something was odd, he was being controlled. But by who, and how? The castle had force fields around it's walls, nothing would have gone through from the outside. Then was it somebody inside the castle?_

"Draco?" _ I asked, a little scared whine in my voice._

"It's... it's not me!" _he shouted and pounded a fist on the floor beside my head. It shook me, and I thought he had turned back to the black-eyed person, but he kept struggling, his body trembled above mine, his breaths deep and ragged. He started to count backwards from ten._

_I got ready as he neared 5; what exactly was I to do after 1? I'm supposed to run out and get help, but what if he catches me again? I started to feel afraid; what was the person controlling him intending him to do to me? I didn't want to stay and find out._

"2... 1!" _he threw himself to the side, knocking the couch with his body. I gasped and got up to my feet, but I didn't run. I only stared at him as he stayed on the floor, still fighting._

"Get out!!" _Draco said angrily to me, that's when his eyes came back to black. Without another thought, I ran towards the portrait door, swung it open, then slammed it behind me. I stumbled out, my foot tripping the other, I fell to the floor._

_I heard a shriek from Beatrix when the door flung open and shut, _"Child! What's the matter?" _she asked hurriedly._

_I didn't answer, instead I stood back up, tears spilling on my cheeks, and ran._

_¤~¤_

Outside the castle, our cloaked friend stood beside the tree under a window. 

"Stupid boy." he grumbled; he stopped the small flickering light of his wand, which was pointed on his now swollen vein. 

"Trying to fight my control, Draco? I guess Lord Voldemort was right." Lucius gave a scowl as he faced the window, "We'll move to our next plan right away then. But don't think I'm letting you off the hook. Keep trying to get that woman." he muttered and headed back into the forest. 

¤~¤ 

Running down the hall, Hermione climbed one more set of stairs. She was now sobbing out of frustration, confusion, and fright. She wasn't sure what exactly went on in the dorm, but she knew she had to get Mrs. McGonagall right away. She wasn't sure if Draco was hurt, or if he was still the dark eyed person, or if he was running after her right now. 

Reaching the top of the steps, she quickly halted and held her breath. There were people a couple of feet infront of her. Feeling a lump in her throat, she fought the decision to turn back or keep her running. 

Just as she feared, one of them noticed her, Lavender. 

"Hermione!!!" she squealed out and ran for her. The other people also noticed her, and started to make their way. Their voices asking questions as they ran towards her, filling the hall with anxiousness and relief. 

Hermione swallowed, and quickly ran away from them. She didn't turn back, mind you, she just avoided them as she ran past. 

Lavender stopped her running, her crowd doing the same, "Hermione? Where are you going?" she yelled as she saw her run past them. 

Faster, she ran down the hall; Mrs. McGonagall's office was only yards away from her. She looked to her back and noticed Lavender and her group following behind. Hermione gave a pleading groan, more tears fell to the floor. If Lavender and her group caught up with her, she was going to be bombarded with questions; she couldn't handle that now. Not when she wasn't sure what went on in a couple of minutes ago, and wasn't sure if Draco was okay. 

Finally reaching McGonagall's office, she threw herself in, causing the woman inside to stand up suddenly from her seat. She stared at the girl in the door, "Ms. Granger?" she started to make her way around her desk. 

Hermione ran up to her and moved behind, "Mrs. McGonagall!" she breathed out, as Lavender and her group pushed themselves in, but stopped suddenly at the sight of the professor. 

"What's the meaning of this?" McGonagall stared daggers to the group, she felt Hermione's tenseness and decided to push out the crowd, "It's 8 in the evening, all of you should be in your dorms and sleeping." 

"But.. Mrs. McGonagall, Hermione's-" Lavender stuttered. 

"No buts!" McGonagall interrupted, "Go to bed or detention for all of you!" the crowd groaned with dismay. They looked at Hermione one last time and waved farewell as they left. 

After hearing the door shut, McGonagall briskly turned around, "What are you doing outside your dorm?" she asked gently, seeing the tears streaking her pale cheeks. 

"Draco needs your help." she said softly, then her eyes bulged as she sputtered everything out "Something happened to him! We were reading, and suddenly he began to do something odd! Then he jumped me; he had black eyes! He was being controlled! Then he told me to run, and I did!" 

"Calm down." McGonagall grabbed hold of the girl's shoulders, "Mr. Malfoy was controlled, you say? How and what did he do?" 

Hermione shook, "I don't know! And I don't know what happened to him after I started running here! Please go check!" she took McGonagall's hand and started to pull her out to the door, but McGonagall stopped her. 

"We must call Professor Dumbledore first." she told her, "Whatever Mr. Malfoy was doing, or whoever he was being controlled by, the person could still be there and Mr. Malfoy could still be under its influence, do you understand?" 

Hermione nodded, brushing her tears away, and followed the professor out the door and to Professor Dumbledor's office. 

¤~¤ 

"Do you know who was doing it?" 

Draco shook his head, which he covered with both hands as he sat down on the couch; Professor Dumbledore sat in front of him, asking him questions about the evening. 

Dumbledore smoothed out his beard, "How is it possible that someone was able to be controlled by anyone outside? It was certainly not from inside. Beatrix was conversing with Sir Cadogan, and she said no one was outside that hall at that time." Then he looked up, his hands stopped their moving as a sudden thought crossed his mind, "Draco," he asked in a low and grave voice, "You aren't by any chance.. a Death eater, are you?" 

Looking up at the man in anger of his accusation, Draco glowered, "No." he answered simply. 

Dumbledore gave a small chuckle, "I was only asking. Calm down, I was only thinking that maybe you were being controlled by Voldemort, if you had it." 

Shaking his head, Draco sighed and went back to staring at the floor, "I might know who could do something like this.. but I can't understand how and why." 

"Do tell." Dumbledore encouraged, "There is a certain precaution we will take from this evening, under some confidential business that I'm afraid I can't tell you." 

"It might be my father." Draco said lowly, spitting every syllable in his words out like poison, "He learned how to make people do things he wants, and it barely takes any magic." he combed his silver hair with a hand and brought it back in front of him, showing it to Dumbledore, "See, he can easily control others with a simple dark spell, but he could only do it to people in his bloodline." Draco pointed to his veins, "I'm his son, and if there was any proof he was near here, there is no doubt it was him." 

Dumbledore took a good look at Draco's arm and nodded, "_Servitude enBloodenom... _I am certain he learned that from Voldemort."--he watched Draco nod-- "And do you know how long this type of magic lasts?" 

"Father says it can last for well over a month. Since he controls it from his bloodline, his magic really doesn't waste any, so who knows for sure." Draco rubbed his face, "What does this mean then? If it was him, why did he do it? And why did he want me to get Hermione?" 

A sullen look came over Dumbledore's face, "Did he tell you he was after Ms. Granger?" he asked cautiously; he knew the boy must not know about the situation. 

Draco raised his eyes to him, "I'm not sure if it was him, it was a voice. It told me to 'keep trying to get that woman'. I knew he meant Hermione.. she was the only one I attacked." 

Dumbledore gave an agreeing grunt, and stood up with a sigh, "Well I guess then this little change will be for the better." Just as he said that, McGonagall appeared behind him, along with Hermione and a large suitcase. 

Feeling his heart sink lower than his guilt, Draco stood up and stared at Hermione; she was still a little bit out-of-color, and her eyes swollen red. She bit her lips and gave a pliant smile. 

"Ms. Granger will be staying somewhere more secretive and secluded for the time being." Dumbledore looked over to Draco sadly, "I know there is so much you both don't understand from this, but I'm afraid it's for the best for now." 

A quick pause brushed through the people in the room until McGonagall started to lead the way out. 

"I-I'm sorry, Hermione." Draco said in a rush, wary that she was to leave him for who knows how long. His eyes jaded at sight of hers. 

Hermione dropped her suitcase and embraced him in a dash; McGonagall pulled out to stop her, but Dumbledore kept her back, "Minerva." he warned, "Let them say good-bye." 

After a breath-taking hug, Hermione looked up at Draco with empathy, "I'm sorry, too." she said softly. 

Draco forced a smile; it was the last time for a long time until they were able to meet again, _She didn't need to say sorry.. it's all my damn fault._

Quickly, she leaned forward to give him a light kiss on the cheek. Face red, she headed back to where the two professors were at and waved her last farewell to him. 

Draco waved back, deep regret and sorrow in his expression as the portrait door closed before him; no longer able to see his princess, no longer able to make her smile. 

He didn't know it then that 'never' lasted for quite a long time. 

¤~¤   


* * *

Author's Notes: 

Sorry to break the news but.. 

Here lies the last Fluff   
We always loved you, and we always will.   
Who knows when we'll see you again   
But we do know this,   
Fluff, you will live on,   
And see another day when your time comes. 

Chapters are going to be more.. dark. Like I promised earlier, this fic was meant to be dark, but Fluff came around so I decided to let it play that way for a while just to tease you all. 

So if you hate me now, feel free to throw vegetables, fruits, no utensils please.. those things hurt.. ^_# almost poked my eye out one time. 

Review and do tell me what you think so far... and if it's going to be a flame.. I'll be waiting with my measly umbrella and bucket to ward off the evil produce. 

Oh yeah, thanks for the constructive stuff with the other chappie, I'm glad some of you think it fine, and I'm also glad that some of you can help with some of it's problems ^_^. Thanks a bunch! A 'Thanks to..' will be on the next chapter! 

To the reviewer who wanted to know about Lady Beatrix, I'll give you a large explanation of who she is and how I made her up in the next chapter, where I thank all reviewers. 

~Strife21   
PS: Psst!! Join my Yahoo group, please? A link is under my FFnet Author info thingy! ^_^ Much love! 


	8. The prologue of the end; Hermione's deci...

**Superior Quality**   


* * *

¤~¤~¤ 

Chapter eight:

_"People will do the unthinkable, if they feel deceived. And it could all go as planned,_

_at All Hallow's Eve..." -Pansy Parkinson, The Superior Quality Chapter 8..._

The prologue of the end; Hermione's decision

¤~¤ 

  
  
  


- **Draco Malfoy **- 

_Wallow.. wallow.. wallow..._

_That's what I seem to do for the most of my days with the living; wallow. It's been two weeks since I had separated with Hermione. Two weeks! It may not be long, but it sure felt too long to me. Saddest thing, I might need to suffer more weeks after tomorrow._

_I haven't seen her.. I needed to. McGonagall says she wasn't doing very good up wherever she placed her at. She said that Hermione barely eats, responds to her, or care if anyone else alive was around._

_Now I fear for her well being even more. Laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, not caring for the bright-ready sunlight pouring in my window, I started to recollect all that has been going on since two weeks._

_Let's see.. where to start?_

_How about Potter and the Weasel? Yes, I call them those names once again, and with good reason. They seem to think I'm after Hermione, and that I'm helping Voldemort by getting her._

_So much for befriending them... but what could I say back? It was going to be said sooner or later, right? I'm Draco Malfoy, son of a Death Eater. The suspicion of me being friends with Hermione, was bound to come up under the circumstances of those facts. It was never brought to them that.. maybe I had changed._

_And those two weren't the only ones who came back to hating me.. 3/4 of all Hogwarts seem to hate me._

_Then there were my 'fellow' Slytherins. Oh, they were surely proud that, quote, "I was only befriending 'Mudblood' so I could give her to Voldemort", so naturally they had started to talk to me again. I tried to tell them that, no, I wasn't faking my attraction to Hermione. They just laugh._

_Frankly though, I don't give a shit with what they say; everyone, as a matter of fact. Let them think I'm trying to kill Hermione, or let them think I'm working with Voldemort! I don't give a fuck about them._

_...._

_So let's change the subject... what else? Ah, Professor Snape has come back to class; I was rather surprised. I thought for sure McGonagall would have had him expelled after that incident, yet there he was three days later. Of course everyone in the three other houses except Slytherin hated him. I did too. It angered me that he just came back to class, looking and acting as if nothing big happened a couple days ago. That ass.. that impudent ass._

_Potions is now a very hostile class. Most of the Gryffindors in my hour never talk or cooperate during the lessons. Strangest thing is, Snape looked like he didn't care if they didn't or did. Was he.. sorry? It didn't seem like he was.. maybe he just suddenly turned soft._

_Well, besides Snape's bold comeback, Professor Dumbledore seem to be turning into a nervous wreck. I'm not sure if it's just me, or that the fact is he knows something, possibly terrible, that he doesn't want to share. Usually, Dumbledore acts a little immature for an old man; sometimes he even pisses me off when he starts rambling about silly and stupid things. They ought to call him 'Double-door' instead.. ugh.. I'm getting lame on my jokes._

_Back to my point, I'm beginning to grow very suspicious about the things going around with the teachers here. Is Voldemort planning on attacking our school? Are Death Eaters threatening to steal students? I really couldn't cook up any explanation.. except I know it isn't any good._

_Even McGonagall seemed to look like a wreck. Perhaps she knows also.. then it's sure to be something very bad. I don't understand why they couldn't at least tell us, 7th years. Or me, the Head Boy. This just proves that whatever it is, is too large for them or us to handle. Is Hogwarts in doom then?_

_I don't know... I don't care._

_I sat up from my bed and looked out the large window beside me. The tree underneath my window was now bare, it's leaves lay red and orange below its nude branches; I started to think of that day... the day before I became friends with Hermione. She stood there, under that tree, in the rain, and smiling at nothing; she'd done that at least 6 times before. And during all those times, I sat here and watched._

_Frowning at the lowly tree, I changed my view to the grayish blue sky above._

_.. I wonder how she's doing? Besides what McGonagall told me?_

_I really needed to see her, because I'm afraid she's suddenly slipping from my grasp, as my mind seemed to be doing so. McGonagall told me all these horrible news about her. She says she's being more anti-social, too quiet, less grateful, and hardly takes a bite of her meals. In general, I think she'd given up on faking. I can't understand why. Hermione is such a hard-headed girl, she wouldn't give up so quickly, and I panic at this because there must be something else then._

_Still, I couldn't go off to see her. I was still 'restricted' to; Dumbledore was afraid that I might turn into 'Mr. Black eyes-wanna-get-Hermione-for-master' again. And I'm sure I would if Hermione was around._

_During my sleep, I often hear the same voice that told me to get her, in my head. It's telling me that 'it' would eventually get her, with or without my 'help'. It was a rather frightening threat.. but it was also stupid. I could handle whoever the hell this person is, just you wait. If 'it' tries anything anytime soon, I'll kill 'it' before he can lay a finger at Hermione. I swore it to her.. with my life. Even if it meant avoiding her all my life, as long as she's alive, I'll still be keeping that promise. I'm not about to back down from that, not to her. She was too precious._

_I knew that, since the day she began to trust me. I knew it wouldn't be easy being happy with her, and I realized that it would be easy to miss her. So what if it seems like she had me in strings and sticks; controlling me and my feelings? I really didn't care if it was all laid out in her hands... as long as she was with me, and I was with her._

_Oh lord, what's going on with me? I'm turning into a hopeless romantic! I know I 'more-than-like-her', but this is dumb. It's like being a damn depressed poet, constantly trying to prove that he's in love._

_Well I am.. and she knows._

_I'm not sure if she 'more-that-like-me' back.. there wasn't really a definite answer to that when I asked._

_Hopefully she does._

_....._

_I gave a sigh and got out of my bed; too bad I promised to protect her... now I can't sneak in to visit her. Dammit.._

_¤~¤_

The room was still and quiet. No one came there, no one new how, except the ones who had brought her there. Though, this is Hermione's temporary room; a place where she would stay isolated from everyone else. And this was how she wanted it. 

Hardly anyone visited her, for she was 'off limits' even to her closest friends. Seeing only faces of the female professor, and Ron's mother, Hermione could no longer recognize, or even remember anyone else's face. And she was only stranded from them for two weeks, yet her mind wandered elsewhere, taking in things from beneath her conscious thinking, and making room for them. Names were now people she knew once in her lifetime, with blank faces on them. 

Did this scare her? Did this concern her? 

In fact, no. Hermione welcomed the disconnection with her friends. She thought that she felt more powerful as an independent, (how right she was.) 

Hermione crowded her body against a corner wall, a dresser closing her in the dark, and a single lighted candle flickering shadows above her. She sat, one knee which was supporting an elbow, and the other leg crossed underneath. Clutching her head with one hand, she opened and closed her eyes momentarily, possibly thinking. 

Thinking, she was. She had recently found out -- more like 5 days ago -- that her depression was starting to show, and she was emotionally weakening. This made her uneasy, yet she was very fond of the foreign dark that frequently enveloped her. She'd hear voices, and at first she was afraid of where it came from. Now she was glad that it was there. To her, the voice was a great companion. It would sometimes boost her, and help her back on her feet when she feels the day is hopeless. 

Her 'new friend' often talked to her, telling her all sorts of secrets. It told her many ways of escaping her problem, and one of them stuck in her mind. One that she didn't want to do, one that she wouldn't, and yet the idea floated in her mind day by day, night by night. And it urged, urged her to do it, urged her that there was no other way. 

Hermione took a deep sharp breath as she stared at the other darkened corner of the room; nothing was there for her to look at except her bed, but she seemed fixated towards that side. 

Every time she'd feel or think of that 'one idea', she'd often feel the presence of another in the room. And it was often over _there, _where it was also dark -- darkest in the room, of all. She'd feel uneasy, but still, she had a great urgency to know who it was. Was it _him_? The voice that talked to her? Was he real? 

'_I'm real.._' the voice told her right then, as if reading her mind, '_You just can't see me..now. So have you thought about the scheme?_' he asked anxiously. 

Nodding slowly, Hermione kept her eyes at the same corner, "... why do you prefer _that_?" she said in a hushed voice. She pulled her knee closer to her as a cold wind encircled her in a tight hug. 

'_Because I feel it's for the better for you... You don't want to be sad anymore, do you?_' his voice remained calm and kind. Hermione gave a tight smile. 

".. will you come with me when I go?" Hermione felt a cold-invisible hand brushing her cheek. She closed her eyes at the feeling, then opened them again, hoping a face would appear before her, but she found none. 

'_I'll be with you the whole way... once you come, I'll be beside you, and we'll be together._' his voice seemed to be whispering in her ear, making a shiver run up her spine. 

Hermione let out a breath, ".. when I do go, what if I don't become happy?" As soon as she finished, the cold had gone away, and the cold touch wasn't in contact with her skin, leaving her disappointed. 

'_You will become happy, Hermione. I know you will._' he gave a pause, '_Come tonight. I will wait for you near the forest.. I will wait._' he said, his voice slowly slipping off until he was finally gone. 

The candle above her flickered violently for a second, then started to flicker back normally. The darkest corner was now slightly lighted by the candle. Hermione hated the fact that he couldn't stay any longer. That was how long he could sometimes go.. and she wondered why? Maybe it was because he is was using magic to contact her, and Hogwarts was secured from any magic coming from the outside world? Hermione believed this as the reason. 

If only she could get out of here, she often thought of it. She would find him... and why? Because she was attracted somehow. For some reason, she didn't want the voice to leave, she wanted him to stay forever. 

And she felt silly and stupid to be attracted to the voice, when she didn't even know who it really was. But somewhere deep within her, she knew who it was. His face, nor his name, wasn't able to come in mind. 

Hermione's eyes shot up as her door opened suddenly, showing a very troubled face of Prof. McGonagall, "Ms. Grang-" she paused at her word, "Hermione, today is Halloween, and as you know, we have a very large feast prepared for tonight." McGonagall only kept her worried stare at her, as Hermione kept hers blank and indifferent, "I know you cannot come down, then perhaps you'd like me to bring you food from the feast and maybe accompany you?" 

Silence. 

Hermione shifted her forehead on her hand, her eyes falling to her knee, "No. It's alright, professor, I don't mind. Please enjoy the evening with the others, I'm not to be your burden." 

"You are not a burden." McGonagall insisted, "I am only worried that you may feel left out, or bored." 

"Left out? No. Bored? I might be," Hermione said calmly, "but do not worry over such a thing as boredom. I can easily manage by myself, professor. So please, have the evening at the Great Hall with the rest of the teachers and students, and enjoy the holiday." 

McGonagall opened her mouth, only to find them close again. She stiffened her posture and wrinkled her brows lower, "Alright, I will join them, if you are sure?" Hermione nodded to her, and McGonagall followed, "I will bring you your supper later then. When would you like it?" 

Hermione stared hard at her knees as she thought, "After you've finished the feast. I'm not that hungry so I can wait until the party has finished." 

Sighing, McGonagall bid farewell and left her on her own in the room. 

In the dark corner between a wall and a dresser, Hermione felt as hopeful and excited as she could have ever been since she got stuck in this room. Because she was no longer going to be here.. 

She's going to meet _him _tonight, when everyone else is elsewhere. 

Then she'd be happy.. finally. 

¤~¤ 

- **Halloween ~ The Feast -**

Jack-o-Lanterns levitated in the Great Hall, as misty stars streaked the enchanted ceiling. 

When supper time came around the corner, the horde of students of Hogwarts all rushed to their seats, prepared to eat the delicious delights they have been dwelling on all day. 

As people gathered inside the bustling room, one student seemed to be less enthralled. Draco advanced in with a wavering walk. He seemed to not care for the decorated hall, nor for the impressive centerpieces on the tables. As soon as he reached midway of his walk towards his seat at front, the room quieted down. People were now staring at him with vexing looks and harsh whispers. 

Draco only cocked an eye and scoffed. He continued to walk until he had reached his place and sat. Once he was comfortably on his seat did the room fill with excitement once again. Looking around without care, Draco's expression became agitated as Pansy Parkinson made her way up to him. 

Dressed in a red mock-of-a-dress, she came in front him in gait steps. She had a mischievous grin, and her eyes danced, "Aww.. Draco, why do you always look at me like that? It hurts." 

"Well that's good then." he snapped back, his voice as low as a grumble. He glanced at her with annoyance, "What do you want?" 

"You, obviously." Pansy giggled. From one of her pockets, she pulled out a sheet of paper, "I've made you a very special poem for tonight, Draco. You better read it.. it 'might' be for your own good." she looked up for a minute, then quickly looked back with a smirk, "No... then again, it might not." With two fingers, she slid the note on the table to him. Winking, she gaily made her way back to the Slytherin table before Professor McGonagall, and the rest of the teachers who just came in, shoo-ed her away. 

Eyeing the piece of paper folded equally neat, Draco stared at it as if it carried a deadly disease. With one hand, he grabbed and crumpled it in his palm. He didn't know what Pansy was trying to pull on him tonight, but it isn't going to work. His hand held the balled paper tighter, until suddenly he opened his hand up and let it fall to back on the table. 

It had burned him. The paper burned him. 

Wide-eyed he looked at his palm, it was red and almost looked like it was ready for a blister. Draco shot Pansy a look from across the room; she looked at him entertained, and mouthed to him, 'Read it.' 

Rubbing his palm on the smooth surface of his black turtleneck sweater, Draco picked up the wad with his other hand. Unfolding it, he opened it up on top of his plate and started to read quietly in his mind, as Dumbledore began his very awkward speech for the feast. 

Draco took a quick skim at the words, then re-read it carefully in fear: 

_"Red as a rose, thick as the sky._   
_Blood flows endlessly, no one knows why._   
_Once you are bitten, you can never run._   
_Once you are bitten, he'll have his fun."_

_"There's a girl in a tower, lonely as ever._   
_She already forgot you, though you declare never._   
_You'll forget her, for a single while._   
_Then come to, when you see her smile."_

_"But this poem has no happy ending._   
_This isn't meant for a heart's mending._   
_When you see her smile, she wouldn't be the same._   
_For after that, you've already finished 'his' game."_

_"And for the grand finale, I bid you adieu._   
_For really, there's nothing you can do._   
_People will do the unthinkable, if they feel deceived._   
_And it could all go as planned, at All Hallow's Eve..."_

_To Draco,_   
_ You'll regret what you did to me, and what you may do tonight... I know you will._   
_ -Love, Pansy._

Slowly, Draco placed the note in his pocket, his face drained from color. He moved his eyes to Pansy in disbelief; she returned his look with an expression of pure pleasure. Pansy knew more than him, and Draco figured this out. He stood up suddenly, cutting Dumbledore's attention to him. 

All gaze fell upon him, even the teacher's, but he didn't care. He was ready to rush towards Pansy's smirking face when suddenly his vision blurred. He felt himself sway, his limbs going surprisingly cold, and his stomach twist. He knew this feeling from before, but he didn't know why it was happening now. 

Then he thought of the note.. Pansy said that he'd do something he would regret. Opening his mouth to warn McGonagall, or Dumbledore, or someone, about what was happening, Draco found his control out of reach as a smile plastered on his face and he sat back down. 

"Mr. Malfoy, may I continue now?" Dumbledore asked softly to his side. 

Draco turned to him with a pleasant smile, his eyes black and bland, "Of course professor. Please do." 

¤~¤ 

Back and forth, Hermione strode across her room, looking rather grim and maniacal. She was thinking deeply of what she was about to do; was she just going to make a mad dash to wherever she's going to go without anyone knowing, or would she tell them first? 

_'If I tell.. If I tell.. they won't let me go.. never.. never.. they'll keep me here forever.. they will... they won't say yes.'_

"They won't let me out!" she said surprisingly loud. It was a good thing that no one was around at the moment to hear her. Everyone, including Mrs. Weasley, were all down at the hall for the feast. 

Pacing to her bed, Hermione sat down, her shoulders shaking with uneasiness, "He said to meet him tonight.. outside.. outside how? Outside where?" she muttered to herself, and stood back up, "I'll go down.. I'll sneak! Yes-- sneak out without telling.. sneak. No one needs to know.. no one cares." 

Hermione stopped towards her dresser and blew out her candle. With great determination, she flung open her door and ran down the dark spiral staircase. 

¤~¤ 

"Mr. Malfoy, where do think you are going?" McGonagall questioned the boy when he stood up in the middle of supper time. 

Draco, or rather his body, turned to her with a kind smile, "I'm simply heading to the boys room, professor, is that alright?" 

McGonagall eyed the boy differently, she thought to herself that he looked somehow different. Shrugging her shoulders, McGonagall nodded, "Of course, Mr. Malfoy. Do come back straight here, no funny business." 

Smiling in recognition, Draco's body started down in between the halls and disappeared through the large doors in silence. 

¤~¤ 

Her feet patting the soft, wet grass, Hermione ran through the dark thickness of the fall evening. The air was excruciatingly bitter, it pricked her bare, and now wet, feet. Her breath created misty clouds as she ran further, and farther. 

She wasn't sure where she was heading, but her feet seemed to know exactly where, towards the Forbidden Forest. 

Feeling her feet suddenly pleading her to halt, her breath was caught shortly in her throat as a figure ahead of her appeared suddenly. It was then she ran faster, her heart pounding against her ears as she neared; she would finally meet _him._

Her eyes opening wide, Hermione began to slow down as the man's outline could be seen past the palpable darkness, and she stopped at the sight of him and his face. 

Shivering in the cold dark, staring at the man before her, she stopped her excitement, and turned it more into frustration and confusion. Her heart pounded louder against her ears, her eyes still glued to the face, Hermione forced a word through her dry, cracked lips, "Draco?" 

Draco smirked at her, his dark eyes matching the night sky, "Are you ready to go? He's over there--" he pointed a finger towards the forest, "Come now." Without warning, he came forward and grabbed her by the waist and hauled her over his shoulder. With one brisk move, he swiftly ran to the forest. 

Hermione, bewildered, confused, and terrified, tried to free herself, but it was no use. Draco was going extremely fast as he cut through the forest trees. She couldn't just jump out of his grasp, she was too afraid to get hurt. Letting a whining cry, Hermione swallowed; this was what she wanted, so this was what she'll get. She couldn't back out anymore. 

Closing her eyes, then opening them with a more bold expression, Hermione decided to stick with her original plan; to come down here, meet _him _and get help from his master. She knew very well who the master was, but Hermione didn't really care. As long as that man knew how to take her 'problem' away, she didn't care. 

Then there was the promise of togetherness with _him, _and to her surprise it was Draco the whole time. Or was it? Either way, she would rather have had him. Trying to calm down within Draco's tight grasp, Hermoine snaked an arm around his head and rested hers behind his, "You'll be with me..." she said softly. 

Feeling herself pull back suddenly, she noticed that Draco had stopped. Carefully, she was brought down in front of him, his face in full attention to the men in cloaked robes up front, "I've brought her." 

"Good boy, Draco." a man complimented near the front; Lucius moved out, stepping in front of a sudden bonfire that appeared out of nowhere, "Our lord is very proud." 

Hermione looked around at the cloaked Death Eaters, her pride out, and her feeble fright shaking inside. There were so much than before, at least a hundred now. All of them turned their hooded faces to her, except for Lucius who was walking straight away in front of her to a tall man who was hidden deeper in the circle. 

Lucius bent down to him, whispering things she couldn't hear, and as soon as he finished, a pair of devilish red eyes eyed her in the dark. 

"Welcome, child. I suppose you're here for eternal happiness?" he chuckled, "You've come to the right place, Hermione. This decision was a very wise decision indeed. Congratulations." he began to clap, and soon every Death Eater clapped along with him, though Lucius was a little hesitant. 

Standing still, looking at the man who had killed Muggles, who had killed her parents, who had killed Harry's parents, who had been the most afraid-of enemy in all history of Hogwarts, he didn't seem to frighten her as much as she thought. Was it because he welcomed her, congratulated her? She didn't know. 

Her voice quivering, Hermione spoke, "Will.. will you give me eternal happiness?" she spoke defiantly, but soft. 

"Of course." the clapping had died down as the tall man proceeded in front of her. He looked grand, muscle-bound, and extremely powerful. He smiled wickedly at Hermione, "You will get what you want, and more. You absolutely want this, right?" 

Hermione nodded as her jaw opened in awe at the Voldemort's appearance. Without another moment, he had scooped her above ground with her head. At first, Hermione felt a sharp pain on her neck as she was pulled up with a hand on her face. Then suddenly, she couldn't breath. Panicking, she grabbed the wrists in front of her and tried to pull away. Voldemort began to laugh. 

A distance from this, Draco watched the scene in front of his cold-voidless eyes, and as if he was fighting it, it began to flicker back to normal. He took a deep breath as he hauled over; he was trying to fight through the spell. With a groan, he lifted his head and opened his eyes, showing a pair of gray ones. In front of him, he saw Hermione squirming within the gasp of Voldemort; his heart jumped to his throat, "NO!!!" 

Lucius saw his boys sudden reaction and walked to him, "Don't fight it boy. You'll only get yourself killed." he pointed his wand to him, "Crucio!" 

Draco lunged to the wet forest floor in pain, his insides felt as if they were twisting into hard knots. He yelled in pain, but still continued to yell for Voldemort to stop, "Don't!!!! Leave her alone!!!" 

Laughing harder than before, Voldemort felt the girl's body twitch and fall limp. He pursued his lips and spoke to his fellow Death Eaters, "Tonight will be the beginning of the end." he announced. Letting Hermione's body fall to his feet with a sick thud, he pointed his wand to the fainted girl, "_Imperillus Amateas, Sireneia enDonce._" he chanted and in an instant, Hermione's eyes opened, revealing two hazy-red eyes. 

Looking up from the floor, Draco watched in silence as Hermione rose to her feet slowly, not dressed in a black-witch dress, but a revealing black-velvet dress. It flowed down to her ankles, her sides open to the night air, and back exposed down to waist line. Her hair flowed into the atmosphere with ease, still straight from top and curly on the bottom. 

Draco felt a great hate to himself; he had failed. Squinting, he let his heart sink deep, telling himself that it was over, and there was nothing else. It was all his fault, and he cursed himself for it. 

For a couple of seconds, Draco watched as the new Hermione, the evil Hermione, talked to Voldemort: 

"Welcome, Lady Hermione." 

"Hmm... what a pain." she muttered to him with indignant tone, "I asked for happiness, not annoyance." 

Voldemort's face became acidic, "You accepted, take it as your own punishment. Now you first task; imprison the one they call Harry Potter, and kill that damn Dumbledore." 

Hermione brushed aside a strand of hair, "That's it? I can't terrorize the school? Pathetic." she remarked hotly, "Fine, I'll be over with the boy later." 

She dangled a finger behind her, towards Draco, who surprisingly began to float up standing. His eyes focused more as Hermione turned around to face him, a pleased smile on her red- tantalizing lips, "Draco." she purred. Coming up to him, Draco watched in silence as the 'Hermione with red eyes' gave him a burning kiss. 

Draco felt himself feel lost in the kiss, even if it wasn't passionate at all. As it ended, he saw her pull back with great happiness, "I'll be back later." she whispered, and in an instant she was gone. 

A dull pain on the back of his head, made him droop down. His eyes blurred, and his head ached. 

Draco fell unconscious.   
  
  
  


¤~¤End of Book I¤~¤   


* * *

Author's notes:: 

I know I promised a 'thanks to' and an explanation about Beatrix, but I really needed to rush on this a bit. You see, I won't be home all weekend starting Friday evening, and I was thinking of updating this Friday evening. But since I won't be here, I decided to just do it now and get it over with. 

So this is the end of Book I. Hope you enjoyed it while you could. The next chapter's are going to be more serious and dark, so the rating is going to go ( I think) either R or NC17. 

I'm so glad no-one threw produce at me from the last chapter, but I can guess some might in this so .. I'm ready! ::gets her umbrella and bucket:: 

Thanks to those who have reviewed me!!! I luv you all!!!!!!!!!!! And I hope you continue to read and review and like the fic!!! 

Also to Nuviel -- Your email doesn't work! ;-; I tried telling you about the chapters, but it keeps sending it back, sorry.   
~Strife21 


	9. The fooled Ruler; The Superior, and the ...

[**The Superior Quality: ** **V i n t a g e**] 

* * *

**BOOK II** 

Chapter 9:

_"Evil is a dangerous game.___

_It plays with the head, and it plays with mind.___

_**This** is what you get for turning someone,___

_with a brilliant mind,___

_Evil."_

The fooled Ruler; The Superior, and the Quality

**~¤~** 

The festive air lingered around the Hogwarts castle; no one expected the night to ruin in the hands of death itself. 

Students, teachers, all ate in joy. Conversing with others, gossiping, having fun; everyone seemed so unaware of what was coming near. 

A new air lingered in the hall, a suffocating, deathly rancid kind. The enchanted ceiling flickered as clouds from its highest peak, lowered down, misting the lower atmosphere. Students gasped. Dumbledore was the first to notice the distinct smell around him; he stood up. His eyes formed into livid uneasiness as he readied himself, waiting for the hall door to burst open, revealing his enemy. 

As the clouds from above lowered down to the floor, students began to rise curiosity in their voices. A shriek is heard, and the door was bombarded open. 

There stood a woman, only in her young age, in velvety maroon dress, exposing areas of her flesh. Her hair swept down her back, flowing back in forth as if moving in unison with an invincible breeze. Her crimson eyes flickered to the white-bearded man across from her, "I wonder why.." she slowly spoke; her voice enticing and intriguing as her dark red lips, "Voldemort is soooo afraid of you? You are nothing but an old, crooked man." 

A boy with glasses stood from his spot from a long table adjacent to the walkway down the middle of the hall. He stared at the woman, his eyes in full shock, his face twisted with an unsure expression, "H-Hermione?" he awkwardly asked. Students followed his question with another gasp. 

The woman turned to the boy with glasses and gave a smirk; her red eyes narrowing at him like he was prey, "Harry, how nice of you to recognize me. And here I was hoping I could introduce myself.. tsk tsk, you ruined my surprise entrance." 

The teachers up front, meanwhile, stood up from their seats and pointed their wands to her. Dumbledore stood still, his eyes fixated at the girl, his wand still in his pocket. 

"It's too late," Snape started to say, catching Hermione's eyes, "She has joined him. There's nothing else to do but destroy her." 

"Destroy her?!" McGonagall asked aghast, "We cannot do that! She is a student, still. Not to mention a human being!" 

Snape raised his eyes at McGonagall, "She is better off dead, Minerva, or all of us will. You cannot heal her, only she can. But do you expect her to if she is under Voldemort's spell?" he watched McGonagall's face turn pale; she shook her head, "We must destroy her." Snape said once again. 

"You can't destroy her." Dumbledore spoke out, "She is not so easy." 

Hermione's ears perked up, a smile formed her lips, "You've got to give the old man credit for such an intelligent mind." she announced, "If you think I was sent here only to have myself be killed by..." --she gave a disgusted look-- "the likes of all of you, you've got to be fooling yourselves." she shook her head and laughed. 

The terrified students watched as the scene slowly started to unfold. It wasn't long until Neville screamed and began to run his way out of the hall, and everyone followed suit with a scream and a dash to safety. 

Red eyes followed the movement of the room; Hermione jumped in front of the Great Hall entrance as Neville came close. Hermione looked at the boy with pure annoyance, "Going somewhere? I thought you enjoyed the little party? I only came to make it more interesting, you know." 

Sweat dripping down his temples, Neville backed away from her with a yelp. Even at the age of 17, he was still unbelievably cowardly. 

"Sit down, Longbottom, or I'll kill you right now." Hermione warned, and quickly the boy made it back to his seat; the others did the same, not wanting to test the evil Hermione's threat. 

Smirking, Hermione looked up again to the front, "I'm here for my first mission. Of course, it's for Voldemort... but I decided to not follow his exact orders." Lifting her hand, she snapped a finger. Immedietly, wands from the teachers and students began to make their way to her. Flicking a finger to the ceiling, the wands followed her gesture and struck the floating pumpkins with a thump, sticking themselves in the hallow decorations. 

"Voldemort needs me for his little plan." Hermione said sternly, "He can't boss me around whenever he wants... it doesn't go that way." She began to walk closer to the front, her steps striding along the middle rug of the hall. As she neared, the students began to back against the walls nearest them. All except for Harry and Ron; the two was somehow glued to their spots. 

She stopped midway and turned to her left, facing Harry and Ron with a pleasing smile, "Come." she beckoned, and in an instant, the two boys walked to her. 

"What are you doing?! Leave them be!" McGonagall yelled from her spot. 

Hermione ignored her plead, and looked at the boys beside her; their eyes hazed black and empty, "You two are coming with me, understand?" the two nodded, "Good. Wait outside." 

As Harry and Ron made their sluggish walk out the hall, Hermione continued her walk to the front until she stood a few feet under Dumbledore's chin. As soon as she stopped, the students began to desperately clamber out. Hermione turned her head slightly and flicked an eye behind her. The door shut, leaving everyone stunned and helpless. 

Hermione gave a displeased grunt, "Your students.. are they always this stupid, Professor Dumbledore?" 

Dumbledore gazed at her, and kept silent. The other teachers closed in behind him, trying to protect him as soon as the first hit was fired. Hermione noticed this and covered her mouth as she chuckled. 

"Oh my! How will I ever be able to kill you now?" she laughed harder, her voice bouncing against the walls. She suddenly stopped her laughing and eyed Dumbledore with hate, "You're lucky I feel peckish." 

A large red orb formed around her, and with one quick flash, the room wiped out. Tables were thrown against the walls, students were blowed away to do the same, the floor cracked from the immense power, and the teachers up front suffered large damage as the the ceiling above Hermione collapsed and fell towards them. 

Leaving the room in ruins, the atmosphere blurry with dust and mist, the festiveness quiet and silent, Hermione brushed a strand of her hair and met up with the two boys outside the room. 

Brushing past them, she motioned them to follow, "Let's go, we've got another party to attend." she drawled. She stopped her thinking as an odd portrait with a beautiful woman gazed at her in grief. She knew of her from somewhere, from a different portrait. 

"Your destiny beckoned you," the blond woman told her softly, "and you chose the wrong path. You chose to be the superior, to be the quality... why did you do it?" 

Hermione flinched at her words, her eyes momentarily faded to her natural brown ones, but was quickly replaced as red again. She gave a scowl, "A damn portrait you are. Lady Beatrix, was it?" she scoffed, "Mind your tongue, nitwit, I've got no time for you. And while you're gawking now, do tell your headmaster for me that he's just lucky." 

Without another look back, another word spoken, Hermione apparated out of the Hogwarts castle with Harry and Ron. 

§~*~§ 

Opening his eyes, they met a ceiling that seemed to swirl pastel hues of gray. He blinked. 

Feeling the silk between his fingers, around his face, on his neck, Draco took a deep breath as something nulled the back of his head. Squinting, he focused his eyes to whatever was around him, finding that he was on a large bed, in an unbelievably large room. The walls were lush ocean blue, the corners of each wall were covered with lavender veils, and candles covered with a glass bubble hovered around the room. The whole room was enchanted, he figured, and was dimly lighted from all the candles; their were no windows. 

Then he thought what he was doing here...   
... there was the feast....   
... then a poem....   
... blackness...   
Hermione... 

Shooting up, he sat and scanned the room hastily; she was not there. He remembered it now, he remembered his failure to protect her. Sighing, defeated, Draco slouched back on his bed. Bringing his hands up to his pounding head, he was wondering if all that had happened was just a dream.. no, a nightmare. 

He was wrong. 

Silky fingertips traced his chest and made their way up to the hands covering his eyes. Letting the hands remove his from his eyes, he smiled at the pair before him, although they were not the ones he had hoped to see. 

"Draco, did you sleep well?" her voice carried itself sweetly in the air. 

"I did." Draco replied softly, his eyes drifting to her lips, her blood-red lips. 

Hermione gave a small smile, her eyes turning soft. She was sitting on top of him, her knees locking his legs, and her hands on either side of his head, "I hope they did not hurt you? They told me your father hit you over the head." her face twisted into a scowl. 

As her long hair grazed the sides of his face, Draco gave deep breath, taking in her alluring perfume. He reached a hand to her hair and twirled it with one finger, "I'm not hurt.. really. I just feel a slight pounding, but it's not bad at all." He could see Hermione was not very convinced with his words. 

"Your bastard-of-a-father, I'll kill him for putting you under Crucio." she leaned her head to the space between his shoulder and head; her smooth cheeks brushing his, and her warm breath pricking his neck. 

Draco brought his arms around her back and sighed. He remembered when his father called Crucio on him, it was extremely painful, yet he only received it because he was trying to stop Voldemort from getting Hermione. Draco looked up at the swirling ceiling through a blue-veil that was now there, "Hermione? Did you kill Professor Dumbledore?" he hesitated to ask, but it was all that he could think of saying, aside from all the things he wanted to know. 

Hermione looked up from his shoulder, a playfull smile crept her lips, "To tell you the truth," she whispered, "I didn't." she began to giggle. 

Watching her laugh at her answer, Draco eyed her like she was mad, "You were supposed to.. why didn't you?" he asked questionly. 

"Because," her face, a scowl again, "Voldemort told me to do it as if I was his servant." Hermione turned her head to the side, "He thinks he can call me to his feet, and kiss his ass, whenever he feels like it. Pfft! He'll find out soon that this operation runs in my terms, not his." 

A sudden new aspiration to the 'evil' Hermione came to Draco's mind. She was now cold-hearted, but she was still witty and snappy. This gave him a small lighted hope that maybe, she can still be changed. He gave her a smile, "That's right. He was the one who needed you." 

"Exactly." Hermione looked at him proudly. Giving him another soft smile, she leaned closer to his face and lightly kissed his lips. What was a short peck, turned to be an overwhelmed kiss of passion as Draco didn't her to pull away. 

Feeling her enticing lips on his, Draco reached the back of her neck and pulled her in closer. He didn't know what came over him, but the fact that his lips were captured briefly by Hermione's, made him want more. He tilted his head to the side, as Hermione tilted hers the other way, deepening the kiss even more. 

Her lips parted slightly, letting Draco slip his tongue within. Their tongues began to explore each other's mouths, savoring the bliss, and leaving none unexplored. Their hands did the same; climbing up and down each other's body, skin on skin. Draco raked a hand up her side, catching the opening of her velvet dress; he moved his hands in. Caressing her bare back under the cloth, Draco moved upwards more, his thumb slightly brushing the lacy bra on the side of her breast. 

Hermione moaned within his capture of her mouth. 

Drowned in the sweet taste of her lips and the lust of his body, Draco pushed away the great fear and responsibility in their kiss. For a minute, he didn't care if it was the real Hermione, or the evil one. He just wanted her with him. 

Realizing his own thoughts, Draco pushed himself away, pulling back his hands back on the low of her back, where it was safe from the contact of her smooth, warm flesh; he gazed at the slightly confused girl in front of him, "I-I can't do this." he told her softly, his tone a bit sad. 

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked, her face shifting into anger and frustration. 

Draco nodded and started to catch his breath from the long lasting kiss. Without any warning after his gesture, he was thrown to the floor with an unbelievable force. 

"First you don't want to pull away, now we get so close and you back out!" he heard her shout from atop the bed. He groaned as his back slammed fiercely to the hard floor. He looked up, sighed, and watched the angry Hermione get off the bed and stomp near the door way, yards away to his right. 

"If you're not willing to play, I'll visit Harry instead then." she said stiffly, and crossed her arms. 

Draco's eyes bulged; what did she mean play? Sitting up, Draco stopped her from stepping out of the room, "No! Stay here!" 

Hermione turned to him, her face lit up with a cocky smirk, "And why, may I ask? You simply said that you couldn't do 'this', so I decided to check if Harry, or maybe Ron, could. Unless.. of course.. you are willing to participate?" 

Draco certainly didn't want her putting moves on Harry or Ron, in fact he thought he would kill himself before she was able to do that. Getting up on his feet, he cracked his shoulders and sat down at the edge of the bed, "Fine." he replied, "I'll... play." he couldn't believe what Hermione wanted to do. Not that his body was complaining, but he knew it wasn't the time. 

With another un-warned moved, Hermione leapt to him, making him fall back down on the bed, her atop of him once again. She smiled, her face in pure joy, "You're jealous, aren't you?" 

Draco furrowed his brows and kept silent. 

Hermione held his face with both hands and squeezed his cheeks together, "You don't need to be jealous, my poor lil' Draco." she whispered, her eyes sincere and soft. 

Gazing at the pools of dark red in her eyes, Draco pondered for minute if 'this' was still the same Hermione. He still kept quiet, nervously waiting to.. --he gave a scowl-- play with her. 

Hermione seemed to reading his mind as she looked at him with ease, "You're lucky it's suppertime, or else we'd already be sprawled around on the bed." 

Draco looked taken back for a minute, then a sly smiled spread on his lips. He wasn't sure why he was reacting this way, but maybe it was the feeling he got around Hermione. Even if she was 'different', it didn't change the affect of her personality on him. He wasn't tense, or nervous; he was happy she was still there with him. 

"Oh really? So what's stopping us?" he asked, his voice low and daring. 

Sliding off of him, Hermione placed her hands on her half-exposed hips and turned her head to the door, "Your father." she pointed out, and within a second, Lucius Malfoy himself sprung from behind the stone-heavy doors. 

Lucius looked at the sight of his son mangled on the bed, looking up at him with what seemed like disappointment, then eyed the young woman who stood nearby. He gave a sneering hiss, "My lord wants us at the table now, mistress. It's time to feast." he left briskly afterwards, grumbling something in a low voice. 

Hermione turned back to Draco, who was helping himself up to his feet, "We'll finish this tonight." she kind of said it with reassurance. 

As if Draco needed it. 

§~*~§ 

Walking down the long, dark corridors, Draco and Hermione walked side by side. The corridors they passed were tall and large, filled with thousands of portraits who's heads appraised the sight of Hermione. While they glanced at Draco, they whispered under their breaths, 'Another Malfoy.' and smiled sweetly. Draco supposed that they were probably forced to smile like that to all the Malfoys. 

Upon reaching the end, the large doors creaked open by itself, revealing a dark hall, much like the Great Hall in Hogwarts, except this was more longer and less wide. To each side sat black cloaked and hooded figures, they immedietly stood up from their seats as the two entered in and gave a bow. In the other side of the doors were small steps, leading to the front platform overlooking the whole room. Two figures were already there; Voldemort and Lucius. 

Draco looked around the room, wondering how the population of Death Eaters increased so much, and where in the world he was. 

"We are in Caitlar Avon, it's our new hideout." Hermione whispered to him; Draco wondered how she was able to read his mind like that, "It's underground at some secluded swamp region in Britain. As for the Death Eaters, you can ask your father about that." 

Nodding, Draco gave her a quick glance, "How did you know I was.." 

A smile played on a corner of her lips, "Don't be a fool. Take a guess how." she said without looking up. 

Draco's mouth formed an 'O' as he nodded up and down slowly. 

Finally climbing up the small steps of the front, and seating themselves down to their seats, Voldemort stood up to give an announcement. 

"Tonight," his voice boomed with pride, "Is the night our victory starts. Tonight, is the night all the people in Britain will face the full force of our powers. Tonight is when the blood will start to flow. 

"All thanks to our newest member." he gestured Hermione to stand, "Lady Hermione will be leading our wars from now on. She will be the one to help us ruin Britain, then the world." 

There was loud clapping as Hermione gazed around the room. But Hermione wasn't taking the flattery, she had other things in mind, "I won't help." she said lowly, and the clapping stopped. 

Voldemort, surprised by her words, stared at her wide-eyed, "What?!" 

"I said, I won't help." she repeated, her voice steady as ever. 

Draco watched as Voldemort slowly began to grow angry, his brows wrinkled down the middle; he saw his father stand up. 

"You see what you get when you have a Mudblood woman join us?!" Lucius said in an outburst, "She does not even cooperate!" 

Hermione glanced at Lucius with steely eyes, "It's not about my cooperation, you twit, this is about what _I _am in this whole ordeal." she turned her eyes to Voldemort's smoltering face, "I figured, I am needed for your world conquest. And I am the only one who can pull it off. So I put two and two together, you see, and came up with a sort of.. deal." 

"What sort of deal?" Voldemort replied, his voice seething; Draco swore he could of killed her right then and there. 

"My help will only come if I am made leader." she answered, leaving her words to shock Voldemort as well as the entire room. 

Voldemort stepped up closer to her, his red eyes looked as if they were trying to cut through her mocking eyes. 

"We don't need the girl!" Lucius yelled from behind him, "It'll be better off if we kill her!" 

A smart smile made itself present upon the words she heard, "And.. how will you do that?" she asked the room with an audacious tone, "I 'am' the one you, Voldie, cannot destroy. Just like Harry was, am I right?" she gave a short chuckle, "You know very well the capabilities I hold. Don't gaze and sneer at me as if I am nothing, or else I won't spare you when my time comes." 

Their was a small silence before Lucius began to speak again, "You believe the trash she is saying?! She is not as powerful as you are, my lord. You are the most powerful!" 

"Quiet!" Voldemort demanded, his eyes never leaving the girl who stood before him, "A new announcement!" he grumbled, "Lady Hermione is our new leader." with that he swiped his cloak in front of him, and in an instant he apparated away. 

The air filled with whispers, and Hermione stood up looking around the whole hall with a smirk. Lucius stood near his seat, his face twisting with disbelief and anger. 

Draco was also in disbelief, and wonder what sort of powers did Hermione have. He knew from then on that she wasn't just an ordinary evil woman Voldemort had captured in his grasp, in fact, it looked as if now she was the one that captured him. 

Sitting back down, Hermione picked up her fork and began to eat, ignoring Draco's wondering eyes and Lucius hating scowl, as she basked in the sweet feeling of overruling her former ruler. 

§~*~§   


* * *

Author's Notes:   
Well, I decided to keep the Book II in the same fic. Besides, people never bother to read sequels sometimes 'cause they first have to read the first story before it. People get lazy and skip the whole thing... :P I do that too, lol. And the rating will maybe be NC17 in a later chapter.. -_-; won't I have fun writing that!! 

'Thanks to' next time, aight? ^_^; It's almost the end of the trimester and I've got soooooo much to do! 

Besides my excuses, I've got a site for holding Draco/Hermione fanfics and fanart now! So check it out! [PS: if you are a D/Hr author/shipper, I'd very much love to have your fic or art in my site! Please tell me if you'd like to, kay?] 

Here's my site : ||Shisen Garyou||   
If the link won't work, then the site address is http://shisengaryou.tripod.com 

Thanks all!! 


	10. Troubles and Blindfolds; Secret Dreams

[**The Superior Quality: ** **V i n t a  g** **e**] 

* * *

**BOOK II** 

Chapter 10:

_"You have but one life._

_It can fade in an instant._

_Let it thrive on your pleasures,_

_for it is but a dream."_

Troubles and Blindfolds; Secret Dreams

**~¤~** 

No one hardly spoke during suppertime; most of the people in the room were still in shock by the sudden change of their plans. Draco sat in silence, watching others eat, and barely eating himself. 

The Death Eaters berrated to themselves, over whether or not Voldemort was such a coward for not trying to defend his rule, yet they did not dare to try and challenge Hermione, for they were told she had powers that could bring their dreams of domination into reality. They did not want to say anything against her as new ruler, they only assumed their lord made his decision with good reason. With keen ears, Draco could hear some of their arguments, pondering at some of their words. 

Lucius, on the other hand, was clearly making his disapproval of her as ruler very noticeably. Giving her glares, and not answering to her questions. Draco thought to himself if his father was really sure of what he was doing. Despite the fact that Draco did not know of her powers, he knew well enough that because Voldemort did not attack, and because no else tried anything at her, Hermione had something they did not. 

Turning his head to her, he noticed that she was no longer eating, but jotting down a list in a small parchment on her hand. Muttering, she looked up to the ceiling, then back down to her paper, scratching her quill in a hurry. Curios, Draco spoke, 

"What are you doing?" his voice in a whisper only she would be able to hear. 

In between her muttering, Hermione managed to answer his question, "I'm working on my new plans." she said a little bit irritated. 

Shaking his head, Draco thought to himself that even with the different Hermione, she was so much alike her old persona. Always going ahead in topics and classes, saving her free time for last. He snapped his thoughts shut as Hermione pulled her parchment in front of her face and beamed at with a successful smile. She let the parchment and quill go in mid-air, and they vanished before landing to the table; golden frecks of light trailing where they had once been. 

"Easy enough." she said, particularly to nobody, "It'll last a day or two." She turned her head to her side at the sudden feeling that someone was watching her, "What?" 

Seeing her face shift into an uncomfortable, questioning expression, it reminded him so much of the girl he knew for 7 years. Draco gave a smile, "Nothing." he replied, and turned back to his plate. 

"Well... alright." Hermione said back, also facing back to her plate; her face showing disappointment. She wondered why he had been staring, and all she got was a simple 'nothing'. 

_Was he thinking of her?_

Hermione denied the thought; he couldn't be thinking of her. She was 'her'. 

She... was. 

_Maybe he misses her?_

A silent scowl formed on her red lips, _'He can't miss that pathetic woman. She's hardly his type.'_

Anger and jealousy started to form in her, and she noticed it. 

'_Over this?! This is goddamn ridiculous! Draco doesn't miss her! He can't!'_

In her determination to prove her own thoughts, Hermione stood up suddenly, slamming her hands on the table, rattling the dishes. 

"Supper is finished! Everyone back to their rooms!" her eyes strained open, revealing a pair of red-burning eyes, "Everyone will stay in their rooms for the rest of the night, and tomorrow we'll start our new plans." she demanded it, and the only thing everyone could do was approve with her. 

As the Death Eaters stood up from their seats to walk out, Hermione grabbed a confused Draco up to his feet, "Let's go." she did not wait for his response, instead she began to literally pull him out of the hall, down the corridor, and into her room. 

Lucius watched with sneering eyes as his boy was dragged down by the 'despicable' woman. Turning his eyes lazily at the Death Eaters following her feeble command, he gave a scoff and headed to Voldemort's office where he was called to go earlier. 

§~*~§ 

Shoved to sit on the bed, Draco felt the pit of his stomach start to churn at the look Hermione was giving him now, although the look was more furiously determined than desire. 

Upon pushing him to the bed, Hermione held her head and paced around the room, "All men are the same. This'll prove you'll never think of her!" she argued; Draco wasn't sure if she was talking to him or herself though. 

Her frustrated face turned to him suddenly, "Who do you think I am, Draco?" 

Draco, lost on what she was trying to point out, only answered her question with the simpliest answer, "You're Hermoine." 

"Hermione? Hermione who?" she asked again, her voice guttural and harsh. 

Watching her face fault her expression into something between pure white anger and self-dejection, Draco was more concerned with how he should answer now, rather than what's the deal with her. He waved a hand up, sputtering out words, "I.. You.. you are Hermione... What else do you want me to say?" 

Grabbing hold of his arm once more, Hermione pulled him up and lead him to a wall hidden in back with black veils. She set him standing in front of it, and going over to it's sides, she pulled the veil out of the way, revealing a wall-size portrait. 

Draco gazed at it, wide-eyed, and studied it's gruesome look and colors of dark hued red, browns, blacks, and grays. The picture resembled that of an abandoned psychotic's home. The walls it portrayed were dark shadowed and streaked with what looked like dried blood. The objects around were very eerie, sending chills down his back; there were large knives dangling from the walls, aged rope in the shape of nooses, and odd, broken down dolls with pins stuck in their eyes; blood oozed out slowly and it's faces formed expression of agony. 

Blinking and turning away from the site of such an odd and frightening display, Draco moved his eyes to the floor of the portrait. His eyes trailing the cold-looking, gray floor, Draco noticed a large fireplace with no fire and picture frames on it's mantle. He wanted to come closer to the mantle (which was life-size if it would be real), but a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention right away. 

There sat a huddled woman, about in the same age as he; she too looked as if she was afraid of something. Her dark chestnut hair splayed around her head, her ragged and ripped dress exposed some of her skin, which looked awfully bruised. And through the the small crevice between her hidden face and her knees, Draco could she she was blindfolded with a piece of black cloth; streaks of dry tears were visible against her ashened face. He came closer to her, at the same time she huddled herself tighter by the wall. Draco knew he had seen her before from somewhere, but from where? 

"Do you miss her?" 

Draco turned to the woman who now stood behind him, "What?" he asked in ferment. 

She pointed to the woman in the portrait in agitation, "Do you miss her?" she tried again. 

Looking at the huddled woman again, he raised a brow when he suddenly knew who she was... but was it really her. He turned back to Hermione behind him and asked softly, "You don't mean...?" 

She motioned her chin to her, "Do you miss Hermione?" she asked in the same volume as he. 

"Hermione?" Draco repeated, turning his eyes back at the woman in the portrait (who was moving farther back against the wall). He was absolutely appalled, but at the same time perplexed. How could there be two Hermiones, and how could one of them be a portrait? Who was the real one then? 

"If you mean the 'real Hermione' as the one you knew from school, then that would be her." 

He turned to the Hermione who was now beside him, "Let me get this straight then. She is the real Hermione?" --he watched as she nodded her head to him-- "Then who are you?!" he felt his voice rise in anger. 

"I am Hermione. Except more linked towards her ambition." she responded calmly, "We are the same.. in some ways." 

Her response only obsecured him more, and she noticed it. She gave a sigh and stepped up closer to the portrait. 

"You see, this is a sort of .. _collage _of what Hermione is." she explained, her face shifting down, "It's here to remind me of how much miserable her life was." 

Draco eyed her with disconcern, feeling a whole different emotion to the woman with him, "I thought you were the same? You talk as if you aren't her." 

"I'm not her." she hissed back, "We share almost the same mind, same wishes, and body but I am not _her._" she stated the last word as if it was acid on her tongue, "You know it as well I as I do." 

Wanting to respond to that, Draco opened his mouth, "I knew it from the very beginning, but I wasn't expecting this. I wasn't expecting two Hermione's at once. You're saying you're Hermione's ambition, and you separated from her, right? So you did this, you were the one who turned her.. or you, into what you are now." 

"What do you mean?" her face turned to him in displeasure, "Hermione did all of this, you idiot. I took over her from her own free will." she moved her hand towards the portrait, "And this is why she gave up to me. This represents her pathetic life, and all the shit she had to put through. You see that in the way back? There are two dead bodies in that other room, wrapped in white sheets with streaks of blood. Those are her parents; their lifeless bodies are in the dark and far away from her as possibel because it's something she wanted to forget. But she can't, as you can tell, because you can still see them from here. 

"There (--she pointed to the fireplace--) books. Burned books, in ashes sit there. This is meant to reflect the discrimination she often gets in school about her and books, and how she hated being titled as 'the brain' in Hogwarts. You can see even if they are in ash form, they are still in the shapes of books, meaning this is another thing that was troubling her and never went away. 

"Then the frames on the mantle." she pointed to them next, "Pictures of the people she encountered. Friends are boldly shown, but they've become insignificant to her that they've become merely pictures. Enemies, and people who contributed in her pain are faded in the pictures. Your's is up there, you know." she spoke to Draco, who had been intently following her through the speech. He turned his eyes at her, and she continued, "Well.. it used to be." 

She continued on, "Anyways, over to her now." she pointed to the Hermione huddled extremely tight against the wall, "The shackles on her feet mean she can't ever run away from her life. This will be something she has to go through. All the while, the because of the blindfold over her eyes, she doesn't have to witness it any longer. 

"Because the blindfold over her eyes.... I'm here." she added lastly,before moving her eyes away from the portrait. 

Draco eyed the 'Hermione' who stood beside him, breathlessly trying to soak up the grim words she spoke. Reading her reaction to her speech, he knew she was telling the truth, "But... how did she get into the portrait?" 

'Hermione' turned around, heading towards the bed, and sat down. She crossed her foot over the other and looked up at the ceiling, "It's easy. This portrait had always been in her mind. It was how she pictured her life to be, in there." 

No longer paying attention to the 'Hermione' in the same room as him, Draco came closer to the Hermione in the portrait (she was scurrying away towards the back), "Can she talk?" 

"No." the woman at the bed answered, "That's another thing... she won't talk. You can try and make her, but I don't know." Watching him talk carefully, trying to get her to respond to the Hermione in the portrait, her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach, realizing that he did miss her. 

During her reaction, the Hermione in the portrait rushed away from Draco, and squeezed in the room in the back ; the room where her parent's dead bodies were at. 

"Hermione, it's me!" Draco tried to call out, but he couldn't do a thing once she ran away, "It's me, Draco!" he tried again, but no luck. Suddenly the floating candles around him dimmed until darkness riffed all around. He turned to 'Hermione' on the bed, her eyes brightly showing as she sat under the sheets. 

"I'm going to sleep." she said repulsivley, "I don't care what you do... just don't try to escape. I doubt you'd get far." she laid herself down and pulled the silk sheets above her head, "Don't wake me up, or I'll hex you for the whole night. And forget about 'playing', I'm suddenly uninterested." 

He could hear the slight fury in her tone of voice; Was it something he did? Furthermore, he didn't really care how this Hermione thought because he knew she wasn't the real one, and the real one was still here in the world; only she's in a portrait. The black veil began to descend back down to cover the portrait. He watched it cover itself, hiding it from any eyes. 

Walking towards the large bed, climbing between the sheets at the other side of 'Hermione', he took off his shoes and his black turtleneck sweater, and laid down. Silently planning his own motives, determined to make the Hermione in the portrait to talk to him, Draco swore himself he would find away to get her back. 

His eyes suddenly casting to the woman to his right, her back towards him, Draco didn't expect to feel a little pity for her. 

_'Afterall... she is living off a wish, a hope... a dream.'_

At the same time, 'Hermione' kept her eyes shut as the thoughts from Draco crept to her mind. Letting silent tears fall from her cheeks and down to her pillow, she pushed herself to fall asleep, so she wouldn't be able to hear Draco's thoughts; not letting the pain flow easily to her. As if she placed a small spell on herself, she found sleep soon after. 

And in the portrait, a new picture appeared on the mantle. A blurred picture of a young man with silver hair and cunning smile. 

_'It's all a dream...'_

§~*~§ 

* * *

¤Thanks to¤   
from chapter 8-9 

**Midnight's Fear A.K.A. LOTR'S Number One Fan** - Thank you! Yes.. grim will appear at most of the times here. Thanks for not complaining too, lol.   
**Libby **- Well it's fanfiction :P it's meant to be a little bit unreal. As far as Voldemort and him not doing anything, I'll explain in the next chapter 'cause I'm too lazy to add it in this one hehe.. Thanks for th review!   
**Chibi-Crysti** - I hope you didn't wait too long.. hehe, I don't want to upset you ^_^; lol, thanks!   
**Icy Stormz **- Thanks so much! lol! Voldie! I call him that too! ^_^   
**fireblaze** - No problem! Thanks for reading it and reviewing! I sent ya another notice!   
**K.A. Malfoy **- You were being hard on yourself! You should never blame yourself like that >.; Anyways, (I'm sounding like a counselor! AH!!) lol, thanks for the review!   
**LilyAyl** - Yes, I've seen Rini and the whole Dark Lady thing! I think Dark Lady was cool.. she was so much cooler than goody-goody Rini and the Sailor Scouts. :P. Anyways, you're so close on my plot! aaaaahhh!!! hehe thanks for the review!   
**PsychoAngel** - :D thanks!! ::twists the fic some more:: Vwaaahahhahaha!   
**Skeyeta** - Thank you for noticing my twist also! ::twists fic more:: Hehehe...   
**Shannon** - I know! I've never really read one that had her turning over the dark side without being the reason of faking it or because she loves Draco so much that she would. Thank you!   
**porkypop** - My favorite reviewer!!! Thanks so much for liking this sudden turn of events ^_^. I'm glad you still like reading it!!!   
***ME*** - Thankies! Yes, this is a bit different, and it'll get more different later.   
**Sucker For Romance** - GASP!! I wrote more!!! lol thanks lots!!! ^__^   
**HottDramaGurl** - LoL! Thanks so much!!! It's great you enjoy it!   
**Remus Gurl** - xD lol! Read on and see what happens! Thanks for reviewing!   
**hopeless-romantic** - Thanks!!! NC-17 coming up later ..hehehe BWHAHAHAHA!!!!! o.o   
**jade_wolf** - LoL! I luv my story too *_*! Thanks for reviewing!   
**Fire Goddess **- :D Yes but.. evil can be such a cruel word that you just have to use it!! LOL! Thanks lots! Update your fic soon!!!   
**kristina** - It'll nevah be over! BWhahhahha!!! o.o;; thanks!   
**Lady Knight** - Starwars! lol! Never placed it like that.. but thanks for reviewing!   
**Hermione** - Who wouldn't like to see Hermione get in the bad side? :P She's cooler that way! lol thanks!   
**RebeccaSL8** - Nevah finished! hehe, thanks for the review! And I checked out your fic, iz cool! ^_^ 

**Thanks also for the others who reviewed in chapters 7-5! I haven't seen much of those people again.. but that's ok! Thanks again!**   


A/N:   
Thanks so much to the reviewers! I don't get much, but I still luv em to death!! ::hugs reviewers::   
Anyways, little heartbreak here, and the relationship is going to deflate.. ::hears 'aaaawwwww!!!' from readers:: Don't worry! ^_^;; 'member, I promise slight fluff later? There's still hope! 

Oh yeah, Hope that little portrait thingy didn't mix up anyone? ^_^;; It's a little.. rushed. 

Another note:: NC-17 will come waaaaay later in the chapters! (well.. not really waaaaaaaay later) 

Thanks a mucho!   
~Strife21   
  
  



	11. Threatening compromises and the new gues...

  


[**The Superior Quality: ** **V i n t a g** **e**] 

* * *

**BOOK II** 

Chapter 11:

_"Blood is thicker than water and softer than the heart._

_The heart is more foolish than the mind but more honest._

_The mind is far too complicated that it outstands anything."_

Threatening compromises and the new guest.   


**~¤~** 

  
  
  


Left in ruins, the hall was no longer recognizable. Dust thickened it's marble floors, as the heavy portions of walls and ceilings rested over them, unattended. 

Even if the room looked devastated, it was a bustling area of the entire school. 

Students sat on the leftover benches and tables as they were cared for. To their fortune, most were in no critical damage. Scratches, bruises, and cuts were the only things present, and this they thanked for. Madam Pomfrey, along with Mrs. Weasley, zipped round and round in the room to help those who need them. They seemed very stressed, yet they were very determined to help as much as they can. The more stressed was Mrs. Weasley, who had only hoped that his younger son Ron was still alive after his capture. 

The teachers huddled talking to themselves in a far corner; they too were fortunate for all they have gotten were minor cuts. One of them had a long white beard, his face plastered with small bandages, and his face doubtful to the words he was listening to. 

--"How do you suppose we do this? The girl has already chosen her side, there is nothing else to do but to get rid of her first. You know that I am right about this." 

--"Please, Severus, you cannot propose this idea! We must not give up so quickly, there must be another way!" 

--"I.. I actually agree with you, Snape, for once you make sense. We know she is the one that could mean the defeat of the world, and the one Voldemort cannot stand against. But she is on her side." 

--"You must understand, we have to try to do something else! There must be another way other than getting rid of her." 

--"Enough, Minerva! There is no other way. Maybe if Harry Potter was here to help us, I could think of something else to do, but he is not here is he? She knew better, and she took him." 

"Stop this," Dumbledore announced, his blue eyes gazing to the Snape, McGonagall, and Flitwick, "Minerva is right, we don't have to go through getting rid of her first. There is another way." 

Snape's eyes crossed to him, "What other way? Do you think we could go to her and beg her to come back?" he snapped, "Ridiculous, Albus! She'll kill us first." 

"And what if I say that you are exactly right, that my plan was to beg her back?" Dumbledore replied, ignoring the man's rudeness outburst, "Hear me out, Severus, and you will see what I mean." Standing up from his seat carefully, Dumbledore moved through the rubbled hall and out its doors; the teacher's following him as he silently asked them through gestures. 

Stepping outside, the teachers, all except Dumbledore, stood in awe as the portrait of a large flower field near the door filled itselves with most, if not all, of Hogwarts paintings. One stood out clearly in front of all of them, and she gave a bow and smiled kindly. 

"Albus, so you haven't forgotten I was still here?" the woman spoke softly. 

"Of course not Beatrix, you were always the beautiful portrayal that stood out." Albus chuckled shortly before stopping himself and giving a large breath, "Beatrix.. there seems to be a problem.." 

"Yes, yes, I know." Beatrix nodded, her golden curls bounced slightly on the sides of her face, "She has chosen wrongly. I know what I must do, I am only waiting for your permission and command." 

"Albus," Snape whispered to him, "What does this woman mean? Is she the one who will beg for us?" 

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, she will be helping us try to convince her back." 

"But.. how do you plan to do this? I didn't think you were serious that the plan was in fact to beg." McGonagall interrupted, her voice in disbelief, "She is a portrait, what can she do?" 

"More than what we can, Minerva." Dumbledore watched as Beatrix began to walk farther away in the portrait she was in, until she became a small dot in the far back. 

§~*~§ 

"Wake up." 

As gray eyes lifted themselves from sleep, Draco turned his head to the person who had woken him. 

Her arms crossed in front of her, and her face forming a displeasing scowl, Hermione stood beside the bed and looked down at him, "Wake up, and go shower and dress. We have breakfast at the hall and we need to start early on our plans." 

Draco stared at the girl in silence before speaking, "Good morning to you too." he drawled and sat up. 

Hermione scoffed and turned her heels around, "There's nothing 'good' about this morning." she retorted and walked off to the door where she stopped suddenly and turned around, "The bathroom is over there (--she pointed to a door behind a mahogany dresser--) and you have your clothes there also. I hear, your mother is here. She is expecting you over there now. So I suggest you wake up and do as you're told for her sake, if not yours." 

"Woke up the on wrong side of the bed, did we?" he snapped back, noticing Hermione's threatening words and tone. 

"I woke up in hell, if you didn't notice. And yes, it was a very wrong side indeed. Unless you want to see 'that' side, you better just keep your mouth shut and get your ass out of bed." she gave a huff and slammed the door behind her as she exited. 

Mumbling out in annoyance, Draco threw the sheets aside and got out of bed. He walked towards the mahogany dresser and into the door, entering with a heavy sigh. 

§~*~§ 

Upon entering the hall, Hermione was greeted by a tall woman in an elegent black witch dress, and long blond hair. She gave a curtious smile and bowed gracefully, "Narcissa Malfoy, my Lady." she notioned, and stood straight once more. 

Hermione gazed at the woman, relating on how beautiful, and especially differently endowed she was from how Lucius and Draco were. Returning her welcoming smile, Hermione gave a short gesture with her head, "Good morning, Mistress Narcissa." 

At this, Narcissa looked at her wide eyed, "Mistress? But Ido not work here.. I only came down because my husband (--she gestured a hand to Lucius Malfoy, already seated at the head table with a silent Voldemort--) has asked me to." 

Hermione didn't bother looking at where she pointed out, instead she kept her eyes at her interestingly, "Yes, I know." she replied, "But I would like you to be Mistress. I could use another hand around here. One that will obviously help me a great deal." 

Narcissa gave a short laugh, catching on that the Lady had just hinted her thoughts of her husbands 'quality to assist'. Calming down shortly afterwards, Narcissa nodded, "I'm greatly honored, my Lady. I think.. I think I will take your offer, but my husband will be forbidding." 

"Hmmph, your husband has no say in this." Hermione huffed. Crossing her arms, she began to walk towards the head table, "Dine with us, Mistress? Your son will be down soon. Forgive him, he has only risen seconds ago." 

Picking up the front of her dress a little ways up, Narcissa gladly followed beside her, "Ah, and how is my son? I hope he is not being as stubborn as," she whispered the last part, "as my husband?" she gave a small chuckle. 

"Hmm... they are so alike, aren't they?" Hermione amused, "Well, actually, Draco has been pretty good. I am a bit, disappointed at him right now." She stopped at the foot of the head table and turned to Narcissa's questioning curiosity. 

"Oh.. why is that?" 

Opening her mouth to answer, Hermione quickly shut them tight. She thought for a minute about what she was going to say, and it was really not something she wanted to openly discuss. At these thoughts, her mind began to hurl questions at her. Questions involving her reason of hating Draco, the truth behind the reason, and what lies she would say to hide them. Noticing the frustration straining to be released in the back of her mind, Hermione shook her head violently; her dark-brown hair whipping the sides of her face harshly. 

".. My Lady?" a worried Narcissa asked from her front, and instantly she stopped. 

She looked at the concerned woman searching wildly in her eyes with her own. Hermione forced a smile, "Forgive me, I seemed to be out of it for a while there." 

Narcissa bit the bottom of her lip, her eyes still probing at Hermione's, "Is anything wrong? Has Draco done something to hurt you?" she asked in a small voice. 

"No." Hermione answered quickly; she inwardly kicked herself for saying a little too quickly, "It's not him. You see, I didn't have much sleep last night as I was preparing for our strategies today. It's nothing, really." 

"Oh.." Narcissa muttered, sounding like she was giving up on asking her. 

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, _"Good..."_

Turning back to the steps and saying no more, she began to make her to the table; brushing past the two men who already sat there, she didn't bother to look at them. She found her seat, the middle armchair that bore large devil-like horns all around them. She sat down, watched Narcissa sit down two seats away from her right (reserving the one beside Hermione for Draco), then looked to her left where Lucius and Voldemort sat quietly; she gave a winsome grin, "Morning." she greeted haughtily. 

Voldemort looked up at her, and to her surprise he smiled kindly to her, "Good morning, my Lady. I hope you have our new plans ready this morning." 

"I have." Hermione answered, trying to compose herself from the feeling of sudden victorious glory; knowing that Voldemort has completely stepped off, "Don't you fret." 

"Please forgive me about my actions yesterday, my Lady, I was purely being selfish and jealousy controlled me." at this Voldemort stood up and gave a deep bow to her. 

Waving a carefree hand to him, as a sign of dismissal, Hermione scoffed, "It was all I expected you to react, Voldemort. I had to admit, it was quite childish, but you are forgiven." 

Through his lips, he hid his gritting teeth as he answered, "Yes, my Lady. Thank you." and sat back down. 

Meanwhile, Lucius spotted his wife sitting at the head table; he angrily stood up, "Narcissa! What the hell do you think you are doing?! Didn't I tell you that you can't sit here, you are not involved with us! Get down now!" 

Frantically, Narcissa readied herself to stand when Hermione glanced a look her way and indicated her to sit back down. Following her order, Narcissa sat back down, eyeing her husband in concerned fright. 

"Narcissa!" Lucius shouted, seeing that his own wife did not follow him. He raised his wand up, intentioning to teach his wife a lesson, only to find it fly towards Hermione. 

Hermione eyed Lucius dangerously, which made him sit back into his seat with a scowl on his face, "Lucius..." she began, her hand taking hold of his wand that hovered in front of her, "You don't like me, right? You didn't like me from the minute I was born, and I know for certain that you hate me even more for taking place as leader." 

Lucius gave a deep, low growl, but kept silent as he listened to her speak. 

"I don't like you either." Hermione stated, "And because I don't like you, you are relieved as a second command to leader, and I know how assured you'll be, to be assistant to Voldemort, so you are exactly that. And Voldemort; would you like know your position?" 

Now it wasn't just Lucius acidic eyes eyeing her with distaste, there was also Voldemort. 

Hermione smirked and held a glass of red wine to her lips and took a short sip before continuing, "It's a harsh degration, as far as from where you came from, but Voldemort, you will be appointed Scout Leader." she could hardly contain her laughter, and let out a small chuckle. 

Voldemort had to hold himself down from lunging at her and beating her mercilessly. Instead, he gave a curtsy nod and accepted his position. He looked over to Lucius, motioning to do the same. 

"Whatever you say, my Lady." Lucius spat, taking his seat once more. He gave a ludicrous eye to her before turning to his food, "Just who is your second in command then?" 

Hermione portented a hand lazily at Narcissa; which staggered back a bit from her seat. 

Lucius' eyes widened with shock and fury, but he kept his agressive words to himself. 

"My.. My Lady! I cannot be your second in command." Narcissa stammered, noting the look her husband was giving her. 

"Why not? Lucius can't do a thing to you as long as I'm around." Hermione said sharply, and surprised the couple, "And if he tries, he will suffer consequences," she turned to face Lucius dangerously, "understand?" 

Lucius shoved himself to face the front and began to start on eating; silently agreeing with Hermione. 

"And you, Narcissa?" she turned to her, "I would love to have your son by my side as second in command, but he's a little 'wry' at my intentions right now." Hermione's face contorted disappointingly. 

Narcissa gave a sigh and placed a smile on her face. She looked over to Hermione with a dignant respect towards her; she was a woman that herself could not be, or rather, had no choice to be. With a brilliant new perspective of the new role in her life, Narcissa nodded, "Of course, my Lady. I shall work hard to fit your needs." 

"Thank you, Narcissa." Hermione gave a small smile at the corner of her lips and turned back to her plate, "Now please enjoy your breakfast." 

Once she said that, her morning was once again interrupted by a new visitor; a young woman with blond hair corrupted the silence of the room as she came in. 

Hermione quickly stood up from her seat, her eyes blazing over to the new visitor with disbelief and hate, "What's **she **doing here?" 

Pansy saw her stand up, and quickly she sped towards the head table, not taking her eyes off of Hermione's. Once she stood below the steps of the platform, Pansy brought out her wand, "You bitch! Draco was promised to me, not to you!" she lifted her wand up and pointed it to her. 

Hermione's lips formed a sly smirk, "Who promised you this?" she said with unpassable eyes. 

"Lucius Malfoy." Pansy answered gruffly, her eyes turning to the man who owned the name, "I was promised that if I left your little 'blossoming' relationship with Draco during your damn insanity period so that Voldemort could get to you, Draco would be mine in the end." Pansy left her gaze of Lucius and back to Hermione, "So give him to me, you dirty Mudblood bitch." 

"Dirty? Hardly." Hermione's smirk disappeared, a frown taking its place, "Mudblood bitch? I might be." with a quck movement of her wrist, she stole Pansy's wand, making her shriek and jump back. Hermione placed the wand in her hands and snapped it in two. She moved her eyes to a cloaked figure nearby, "Tell your daughter, Parkinson, that if she wants to live, she must apologize for her rudeness, and her bloody ugly face." she sniggered a laugh. 

Right away, the cloaked figure stepped out of the line where he stood and held onto Pansy's arm, "Come on, Pansy. Don't you do this." 

Pansy fought the figure and freed herself from her grasp, "I'll do what I wish, dad!" she angrily stepped up infront of the table Hermione sat behind and leaned foreward to her face with a smart smirk, "Whether or not Draco stays with you, is entirely up to him." 

As Hermione was about to retort something back, the entrance of the hall opened up revealing Draco. He was wearing the clothes that were placed in the bathroom for him (a pair of khaki pants and black turtleneck sweatshirt). His eyes darted foreward to the person standing up in front of Hermione. Quickly shuffling his feet to the front, he stepped up to Pansy's side with a curious look. 

"Pansy? What are you doing here?" Draco asked her, then turned to his face to Hermione's angry one. 

"Draco, you're coming with me." Pansy replied, not bothering to greet him formally, "Tell her that she can't control your life." she sneered to Hermione. 

Hermione turned back to her and slit her eyes, "Shut up, you stupid wench. Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like that? Don't you know who I am? I am-" 

"-the new leader? So what? I'm not fighting you for leadership, dearie. I'm here to collect what's rightfully mine." Pansy backfired, liking the fact that she was infuriating the woman who almost stole Draco's heart. 

"Draco will not leave." Hermione stated calmly, "He can't ever. He is mine. He stays beside me at all times. He stays in this 'team' at all times. He'll never leave because I say so." she gave a triumphant smile, knowing that her words were unbeatable. She watched as Pansy's face crinkled up with so much hate, she wanted to laugh at her, sneer at her. Though her little silent celebration was brought to halt as Draco spoke against her words. 

"I can leave when I want." he drawled in such a cold tone, that Hermione, remembered he often did when speaking to her in school years ago, "Pansy's right, you can't control my life. I have no reason to stay." 

Hermione's eyes dimmed slightly as they darted from Pansy's smirk to Draco's spiteful face. 

"Besides," Draco continued on, his eyes overlooking her with what looked like disgust, "You're not even the real Hermione. Why would I want to stay with you?" 

At that very moment, Hermione's mind went from top point uncaring, to the midst of a breakdown. He had stated she wasn't the real Hermione, and that he didn't want to stay with her because of that. And somehow, those words he spoke broke the dam that was built between her mind and soul, letting everything get flooded inside her. 

Around her, people were clueless as to what was going on inside her. Everyone but Narcissa, who caught it in her eyes. 

Narcissa stood up, catching her son's attention, "Draco, my dear, I surely think you don't mean that?"--she saw Hermione's eyes lift to hers with hope--"This is the real Hermione." 

Draco shook his head, "No mother, she is not. The real Hermione hangs upon a wall in a portrait, trapped in their because of her." he had said the last word with so much spite that Hermione heard herself gasp. 

To the other corner, both Voldemort and Lucius enjoyed the little dramatic arguement in front of them. Both kept silent, parading themselves with their own words in mind. 

Opening her mouth to speak, all that came out was a frustrated moan as she stared unbelievably to Draco. He had accused her again. He had said it was her fault that Hermione was separated two ways. Had he not listened to her words? Had he just ignored her explanation last night? She felt herself lose, she felt herself start to drown in the words that never came out. In her eyes, she could feel the tears dangerously edging closer, teasing her that they're coming out and there wasn't any way to stop them. 

Draco only eyed her with an indifferent look, knowing that she is nothing to him, "I don't care for you because you're just a defected copy, _Hermione._" his feelings towards her seem to escape the locks in his mind and out through his lips, "Don't think that you showing that you actually have some sort of emotion other than evil and hate, is going to make me change my mind about what you really are." Draco turned around briefly, "Let's go Pansy." 

"Gladly Draco!" Pansy squealed and held onto his arm as they descended down the steps. Giving her a look back, Pansy smirked once more to Hermione. This time, in glory of her prize. 

Hermione watched, her face blank and dull. Her mind raced with thoughts, thoughts from her and thoughts from the 'other' on the portrait. She started to breathed raggedly as she watched the two walk slowly away from her and to the door. 

_He called me a 'defected copy'._   
_He said I wasn't the real Hermione._   
_He said it was my fault._   
_... he said he didn't want to be with me..._

Narcissa began to take in Hermione's actions and glanced at her son, "Draco! You come back here now!" 

Draco halted and turned around to face his mother, "Not you too, mum? Oh bloody hell! Have you taken her side also?" he asked annoyed. Annoyed that both his parents were tricked into her side. 

Fighting to find the words she wanted to say to him, Narcissa stuttered a reply when she was suddenly stopped with a loud piercing scream from the woman beside her. 

"Draco!" she screamed, her face red with anger. 

The room echoed with her call, sending the cloaked figures immedietly on their knees and on the ground. 

"You will not leave me, you hear!!" her eyes bulged with searing pain and clouded hate, "If you dare walk out that door with that ugly mutt, I swear I'll kill Hermione!!" 

Draco exhaled quickly, "You wouldn't..." he replied to her, the same cold tone, "If you do, then you'd die also." 

"I don't care! As long as she dies, and you live knowing it was all your fault, I'd be a good enough excuse for me to do it!" breathing rapidly, she managed a deathly smile, "Defect or not, I'm not stupid. I know you'd regret it if she died because of you. You'd regret it so much that even you would kill yourself." she began to laugh a disturbing laugh. 

Narcissa stared uncertainly to the girl, she could hear the slight depression in her laugh. She was not meaning about her words. She glanced over to her son, begging him not to argue. 

Eyes fixed intently at Hermione, Draco scoffed, "Even if you tried to kill her, you can't. Voldemort can't even kill you. You can't die, remember?" 

The laughing Hermione, stopped and fixed a grin in her face, "Voldemort can't do it. No one can do it..." with her right hand, she grasped the end of the butter knife beside her plate and brought it up to her front, "But I can." with a quick thrust, she forced the knife through her the hollow between her left shoulder and collarbone. She moved foreward in pain, but only laughed out when she was felt her throat want to give out a groan. 

The room gasped at her move, and Draco couldn't believe what he just saw her do. He saw his mother stepped quickly by her side, and place a hand over her arched back. He watched in horror as Hermione twisted the knife in her shoulder, making large amounts of blood poor out suddenly, and she cried out in an agonizing pain which then turned into a frightening laugh. Meanwhile his mother beside her began to frantically make her stop. Though, Hermione wasn't listening. 

"You see the blood?" Hermione laughed, her eyes turning to Draco's drained face, "I can do it. I can kill her." she pulled out the butter knife from her shoulder and threw it to him; landing it right in front of his gray boots, "Check her, Draco. See if she isn't bleeding in pain." she said coyly, holding on to her left shoulder as the rushing pain racked her body. 

Quickly, Draco turned his heel and dashed out of the room, no longer arguing with Hermione if she was bluffing or not. 

"Ah, wait!" Pansy shrieked, as she began after him. She was soon stopped as some unknown force hit her on the back and caused her to fall to her face unconscious. 

Hermione pushed away Narcissa, as she felt her began to act motherly, "Please sit, Narcissa. I can handle this!" she commanded her. 

Narcissa bowed her head and placed her hands beside her, "Yes, my Lady." she muttered before she sat down. Narcissa watched as Hermione staggered to back on her seat, inhaling sharply as her back collided with the chair. 

"Parkinson." Hermione called out to the cloaked figure nearby, "Send your daughter to the dungeons." she ordered placidly, trying not to show anguish she was suffering both physically and emotionally, with her tone. After her orders, and watching the cloaked man carefully walk up to his daughter's body to carry her off, Hermione moved her hand from her shoulders. The wound was open, and it still bled. She gave a smile at it, knowing such an ironic way to death could only come from herself. 

"Fetch me a clean cloth and some water, Narcissa." she instructed to the woman who had her eyes to her the whole time. 

"But, my Lady, why not let me heal it with my wand?" Narcissa recommended quiply. 

Hermione shook her head and gave a quiet scoff, "Magic cannot heal any wound on me, whether big or small, in such little time. Even so, it cannot heal me at all." she stuck a reassuring but understanding smile to her, "It will heal in moments time, as long as the wound gets cleaned. It will do it's own magic, and completely disappear in, let's say, two to three days." 

Narcissa, learning the new information, opened her mouth in awe, "You mean, you can't use magic on it, but it will completely heal by itself? Without infections? Without catching diseases? Without any stitches or muggle medicine?" --Hermione answered her with a simple shake of the head-- "But how does it do this?" 

"Because," Hermione replied, her voice going soft, "I am no woman, nor living being. I am a dream, an illusion, sent here to fulfill a wish that had once had been wished for." she turned her face to the door, "From Hermione." 

§~*~§ 

Racing down the long corridor, Draco breathed in deep as he rushed inside the room. 

As soon as he stepped in, he could hear a faint sob coming from the far back. Draco swallowed a lump that formed in his throat and immedietly made his way to the wall size portrait. Pulling the black veil away from his view, he stepped back at the sight of the woman, crumpled up on the floor, blood trailing from her left shoulder, and streaks of salty tears washing down her cheeks. 

"This can't happen.. that's impossible.." Draco whispered to himself, feeling a sudden anger and guilt towards himself. His eyes fixed pityingly at the woman on the floor as she sobbed and held her wounded shoulder in agony. 

He slowly moved closer, his hands reaching out to touch the velvety canvas at the spot in where she was in, "Hermione? I'm sorry..." 

His heart lunged backwards as the Hermione in the portrait shuffled to her feet and run far from the front of the portrait, sobbing for him to stay away. 

"I'm sorry!" Draco groaned out, not wanting the woman to leave him now. He wanted her to understand that he didn't mean it. He knew it was his fault, and he knew he shouldn't have done it. He shouldn't have threatened to leave, or have said all those words in spite to the other Hermione; after all, she did say last night that they were connected somehow. That meant, whatever she happens to her, can happen to the real Hermione. 

"I'm sorry, dammit Hermione!" 

"Draco... you're scaring her." 

Draco's eyes widened in shock at the other woman who was in the corner left side of the portrait, "What... what are you doing here?" he asked in a whisper. 

In the portrait, Beatrix leaned to the side of the wall and gave meek smile, "Hullo again, sir knight. I see you need some help on rescuing the damsel?" 

§~*~§ 

* * *

  
  


Author's note:   
Whatcha think? I think it's a little short and weird o.O... oh well. Anyways, I made Narcissa play a sort of 'friendly/motherly' role in here because there's going to be major drama later on. Plus, I think Narcissa is purely innocent in the Harry Potter books. She hasn't done anything to make me hate her (well, except that she married a bastard) but the point is, I think giving her a role in this would be a very good idea. And I believe she does have a kind hearted personality. 

Thanks to will be on the next chapter. 

What else? Oooh.. **spoilers** for the next chapter ^^!   
-Beatrix will tell her story.   
-A gruesome plan is unfolded.   
-Something.. **BIG **will happen.   
-Beatrix will give some advices, and explain some things.   
-Draco realizes something.   
-Hermione (in the portrait) will talk.   
-Hermione (not from portrait) will be affected with a new emotion.   
-And, Hermione (not from the portrait) will do something totally out of her intuitions.   
-Mushy/Fluffy scene!   
-..Love will come back to my story..   
-Lucius and Voldemort discuss their own plans.   
-Harry and Ron show up :D. 

O.o it's kind of a big teaser.. Expect it to be extremely long. Stay tuned! Luv you all, and thanks for the reviews! 


	12. The Understanding of the Dragon; His new...

  
  
  


[**The Superior Quality: ** **V i n t a g** **e**] 

* * *

**BOOK II**   
  


Chapter 12:

_"There are two sides of the world that, when born, only one we may see._

_The one you can see now is the one that is right._

_And the other is only for me."_

The Understanding of the Dragon; His new view.

**~¤~** 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"How.. how did you get here Beatrix?" Draco asked obviously astounded the woman was in the portrait before him. He stepped closer, still gazing at the fair-skinned lady. 

"To you a portrait ends at the edge of each canvas, when truly it never ends. I simply wandered around the world of art until I found this one." Beatrix answered truthfully, moving her arms from around her waist to her sides. She heaved a heavy sigh and turned to the backroom where the injured and petrified Hermione sat and sobbed, "What did you do Draco?" 

Draco's mind whirled from the wonder of what Beatrix meant to where her gaze was now transfixed, "Oh.." he let out, his eyes drowning with guilt, "I intimidated the other one." he responded softly. 

"The other one?" Beatrix turned back to him, her eyes wide and confused, "You mean Hermione, right?" 

"Well.. I mean the one who took over the real Hermione; the one that's not in the portrait." Draco corrected sharply, seething anger to whom he meant. 

Beatrix frowned, and gave a sharp inhale, "Oh my.. you've got it all wrong Draco." she said low shrilly tone. Her face paled, bringing her hands up to her chest as she gave a sad--pensive look back at the Hermione huddled in the other room in the portrait. She diverted her eyes back to him, pools of tears forming on the corners of her ruby-colored eyes. 

Seeing the sudden horrific change with Beatrix, Draco wondered what suddenly upset her, "What? What did I have all wrong, Beatrix?" he asked in a hushed determined whisper. 

"Hermione.. the one out there..." Beatrix couldn't control the sudden emotion that came out of nowhere as a tear slid down her face, "The real one is the Hermione who is with you." she finished. 

Draco's eyes shot wide, staring at the woman in disbelief, "No.." he pointed to the Hermione in the portrait, "No, she is the real one..." 

Beatrix shook her head, "This is the copy that stores Hermione's emotions. She is not real; she is the fake." she clutched her forehead with one hand, "I knew I should have gone earlier to tell you this, but I know she had explained it to you earlier; did you not listen to her?" 

Upheaving with more hate to himself than ever, Draco stumbled back to the bed and threw his back against it. Facing the swirling blue ceiling, he groaned and placed his hands over his face and rubbed furiously, "She explained! I ..didn't hear her say she was the real one! She had denied that she was the real Hermione!" 

Emotions of immorality to himself washed all around him, choking him of his supply of air. He couldn't believe at how big of a mistake he had done. He had titled her as the fake, when clearly, she was in fact the real one. And he had called her a defect, told her she was not wanted, accused her that it was all her fault. 

"... She never told you that the one in the portrait was a copy?" Beatrix sighted. 

Draco shook his head, his head still hidden under his hands, "She had said herself that the one in the portrait is the real Hermione." he gave a groan again and sat up, raking his hair with the hands on his face. He faced Beatrix with an obscure face, matching surprisingly her own. 

Beatrix began to think..   
_If the real Hermione thought the real one was in the portrait....._   
Her eyes darted wildly, searching for a conclusion in Draco's eyes, "She doesn't know she's the real one." a wild and disgruntled expression marked her face, "Draco, she does not know!" 

As if directed to, Draco shot up from his seat and began to run out the door. He ran fast in the corridors, ignoring the surprised and questioning looks the other portraits were giving, and only thinking of how stupid and ashamed he felt. He knew it was suspicious when Hermione's face, faulted at his words earlier that morning. There was no way that was fake, but his mind interjected otherwise and already proclaimed her as the fake. His thoughts stung him inside, knowing that he had hurt her, and she had felt it. It wasn't meant for the real one, and yet that was who it was directed to. 

Nearing the end of the long corridor and finally reaching the hall doors, he quickly pulled the wooden doors open and entered in a hurry. 

"Hermione!" his voice echoed off, bouncing against the walls and reverting back to the center of the room. The hall was empty. No Death Eaters in sight, no Voldemort, no Lucius, no Narcissa. No Hermione. They had already left for the morning, to prepare their first attack. 

His breath quickening in fury, he roared angrily and kicked the nearest long table, pushing over its chairs and cursing out loud to himself. He lunged his back against the stone wall and slid down to the floor. Grabbing the wooden stool beside him, he hurled it forwards, sending it a good 20 feet away and break into large pieces as it landed to the marble floor. 

Sitting in the dark, nothing but an infinite supply of self-infliction, he rested his elbow on one lifted knee and held his forehead with a hand, thinking of how else to punish himself for being so narrow-minded and for hurting the person he never wanted to hurt. 

§~*~§ 

The rumbling of wooden wheels clicked as the large black carriages made their way over the rocky roads and towards London's brilliant city. There were about 10 carriages, each holding people dressed in black clothing, who were thoroughly anxious about their business in London. 

One black carriage up at front held the woman who had planned their business. 

Hermione sat against her seat, her involuntary rocking constantly poking at her already high temper, and sparking shooting pains on her injured shoulder. Despite the heavy air around her, she looked quite calm from the looks of her outside. Her eyes were dull crimson as they trailed the scenic view of the countryside towns along the the side of the road, as well as the expression she held of pure peace. 

Sat beside her was the woman who was not fooled by her outside appearance. Narcissa had seen the hurt, the rejecting feeling the girl in front of her had felt when her son had said those words. 

Those words, of her being the fake; Narcissa did not believe it true. She hadn't seen what Draco had claimed the real Hermione, but she knew that the one before her held too much care and life that this had to be the true one. And she wondered why Hermione did not fight her existence that she was the true one. Does she not know herself? 

What she was afraid of the most was that what if this girl was greatly broken inside by her son. From the looks of how she had reacted to her son's rude and vulgar predicaments, Narcissa had gotten that this Hermione held her son somewhere special in her mind and heart. Seeing _that_ shatter before her eyes as Draco reciprocated her demand with such abusive and hateful words, Narcissa was in more deep worry for Hermione's well-being. 

"You are so kind, Narcissa." Hermione's soft and thankful voice broke her train of thought; Narcissa gazed at her dumbfounded. 

A meek smile showed itself on her lips, the very first ever since they left the base, as Hermione turned to her companion, "I knew it was a good idea to bring you along with me. You are the only one that could be so understandable." 

Narcissa pondered a minute, trying to gain a reason as to what she was referring. It was soon that she had concluded it, and reflected a smile of her own, "You read my thoughts." she replied. 

"A habit that comes in and out. It only works when a person is near and is thinking of something that is affecting them greatly." Hermione moved in her seat, trying to get comfortable with all the bumps and skids the carriage was making. Finding at good enough spot, she continued on, "I'm sorry to intrude, but I am not the real Hermione." she spoke out, her tone highly defiant but also ashamed. 

"Impossible." Narcissa replied, "You must be, if not, there is no other. I have not seen this other Hermione that Draco is insisting real, but I know enough that it can't be true. You are too solid with life to be considered a copy." 

After that, Hermione closed her lips, not wanting to respond to such a nice gesture in which she did not deserve. Instead, she turned back to face the carriage window, brushing the subject off her mind, and began to think about Draco, "Do you think he regrets what he said to me this morning?" 

Narcissa noticed the subject changed by her and she didn't like it, but instead she went along, "I'm sure he regrets everything bad he has done to you." she answered softly. She watched the young woman in front of her as she nodded to her words and remained, silently gazing outside the small window. Narcissa shook her head, disturbed to see the girl so downtrodden by her son. 

"Don't think so much, Narcissa." Hermoine once again broke her train of thought, "You worry a whole lot for others; I can hear it." 

Giving a friendly smile, Narcissa nodded her head, "I apologize, my lady. It is.. sort of a mother's intuition to care for a child." 

Hearing the word 'mother' made Hermione turn to Narcissa with wide opened eyes. She felt her stomach churn at the word, and she feverently searched inside her for the reason. Then she thought if the other Hermione was causing all this, and she cursed her form for sharing emotions with such a wreck. She didn't know why, but at that moment her patience narrowed and she prepared to state an unstoppable snidely remark. 

"Hmph, except when that mother cares for nothing but money and sex, then where's the care for the child? Filthy people.." she grumbled, her brows lowering, "Society these days is so unbelievably disgusting, especially in the muggle world. I think my preposition is the only way those people with such nasty sin can suffer." 

Once again, her subject was lost, and Narcissa found no hope into making the young woman understand her words. Sighing, she nodded in agreement at her statement; her plan for the beginning of all hell was a very good one indeed, although it was purely evil itself. She had wondered how such a girl came up with such a malignant performance for destruction. Hearing her own thoughts play in mind, she threw a quick glance at the girl, seeing if she had heard it in her own. The woman on the other side continued to gaze back to the scenery outside, her face rather disturbed than before, and Narcissa was thankful that she had kept her thoughts down enough that the girl did not notice. 

"London is the perfect spot to start. So many people have sinned there." Hermione blurted out quietly, her tone a bit sing-song. 

"Yes, my lady." Narcissa followed; those were the only words spoken throughout the rest of the trip. 

§~*~§ 

The carriage following behind the one which held the leader of the small wizarding clan, had inside it another powerful and respected person who had an evil plan of his own. Voldemort grumbled in his seat as the rocks along the roads also disturbed him. He kept quiet most of the time, listening to the bickering of the other man with him, who has been bickering for most of the trip. 

Across from him sat the other man, his face in a sneering perplexion as always, and his minds set on what his master was planning through all this. 

"Putrid woman," Lucius began, his mind wrestling over his will to kill the girl who ruined everything for him and his lord, "I can only wait for the day I will be able to wring her neck with ease." he seethed. 

"Shut up, Lucius." Voldemort finally let out, the heat and annoyance had poked the vein on his forehead too long, "It's only moments until the day will come. If we are lucky, today might be that day." 

Lucius groaned in anger, his eyes finding the window, "Tell me, my lord, why is it we have to wait for that day to come?" 

"As I told you before, that woman cannot be killed simply because the power she holds is still inside her. We have to wait for the day when she uses that power, and releases it. Then.." 

"Then she can be killed." Lucius finished happily, a crooked smile playing on his lips. 

Voldemort gave one of his own devious smiles, "Precisely. And it's only moments until she unleashes it. As of right now, we'll have to play along with her. Thanks to your son, our playing will soon end." 

Lucius gave a hearty chuckle, "Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy." 

§~*~§ 

"I should have suspected such a pitiful mistake from a Malfoy." Beatrix nagged, refusing to eye the boy who was now crouched beside the portrait, his back facing her. "I should have known, I mean, it's the same thing _he _did. And of course, you have to be so narrow-minded and not notice how much that girl felt so.. abused after what you said to her this morning! What were you thinking?! Don't you think that maybe if she was a clone, she wouldn't have acted so? But no, you felt she was only playing with you..." 

"Would you please shut the hell up Beatrix?!" Draco yelled, his strangled voice choking on his guilt. It had been at least an hour since he came back from the hall and found no one in sight, and he wondered if coming back to the room was either a very stupid idea, or that he truly deserved this verbal beating. As for now, all Beatrix's words were plaguing and teasing both his emotions and his mind; he couldn't take it. 

Beatrix's smoldering eyes jumped up to his figure, "Well maybe if you hadn't made such a stupid mistake, I wouldn't have to be telling it all over your face that you are an absolute ass!" she took a deep breath before continuing, "That girl held a real emotion towards you, Draco. You practically killed her! She would have been willing to kill herself, didn't you know that?! Right now, that girl only depends on you to care for her because, as you've noticed, this is all controlled by what Hermione ideally wanted after she succumbed to her depression. And in cased you didn't notice this either, her world, this world, revolves around you!" 

The boy who once sat in patience, was now standing up radiating with anger. He stood up, his face red and drained, and gazed back at the pestering woman who stood in the portrait, "I know what I did, alright! I screwed it up! I made a fool of myself! I ruined my chance to get her back! Is that enough, Beatrix, or do you want me to beat myself more about it?! Here I go! I am such a fucking moron for being a Malfoy! I am such a insensitive idiot for not noticing who the real Hermione was! I am such an asshole for not realizing who it was I really cared for! Even if I did these things, and all of them were wrong, that doesn't mean I won't get her back to me! 

"And yes, I did notice that she had tried so much to try and make me happy here, and I regret the fact that I didn't use that to think straight. I am so sorry over all this that I might as well lock myself in the dungeons right now! Or maybe, even kill myself!" Draco breathed raggedly as he felt himself slip to the floor once more, his eyes hidden under the tufts of silver hair on his face fleeting to the dark corner of the room, "I... I love Hermione... Believe me, all the mean things I did to her during all this, I only did because of my self driven devotion to get her back to me... and I am willing to plea for my forgiveness because I am so afraid that I ruined all my chances already.. actually, I don't think I deserve any more chances." 

And the room stood silent as Beatrix gazed at the boy in anguish. She knew he did not deserve what she had said about him, after all he was mislead through all this. Giving out a sigh, Beatrix walked to the wall where Hermione's copy who holds only emotions, sat. She took a good look at the girl from above, her small frame riddled with bruises and spots of blood. She felt so much pity for the girl as she was forbidden to see the world she was placed in with the cloth that covered her eyes. Smiling lightly as the girl fidgeted in her gaze and made room for her to sit beside her, Beatrix welcomed the invitation and sat down. 

Turning her eyes outside of the portrait and to the sitting boy who was now eyeing her with wonder as she was able to sit beside the copy without it running off, Beatrix gave a smile, "She knows who I am. I know I told you she isn't the real one and she's only the emotions and feelings, but she has memory also. But the memories are a bit.. fluxed." 

Sitting back, his upper body straddled by his elbows, Draco sneered, "Right.. no chance she'll have me in her memories then." 

"Actually, you are there, only the definition of 'Draco Malfoy' is the git who picked on her for most of her time at Hogwarts." she mused, trying to ease the tensing air around Draco and herself slowly. 

"Hmph, just great." Draco muttered. 

The air fell to silence again, now annoying Beatrix more than ever. Giving a deep breath, she began her apology, "I shouldn't have said all that to you, Draco. Please forgive me." 

Draco raised a hand and brushed it around the air, "Yeah, yeah. It was all true anyways.." 

"I believe she will give you another chance, Draco. As long as you are truthful." Beatrix continued, "I believe that you do love her so.. And I am grateful that at least you hadn't done it to the point of her actually giving up something that could be between you two." 

Raising an eyebrow, Draco looked over her questionably. He opened his mouth to speak, only to pause a couple of seconds before actually speaking up, "Is it just me, or do you know that this has happened before?" 

Beatrix's face fell, a look that could only be made when a person staggers back from surprise. Furthermore, she kept her self calm; a gentle smile tugging the corners of her lips. She sat still, contemplating whether or not to tell the story, but decided that the boy might as well understand why it is her who will help the two. 

"Nearly a century ago, when the wizarding world was a different kind of turmoil and its existence had only begun to appear quite vivid to the muggle world, a young woman and her family had their lives threatened for unexplained and baffling reasons. In the village in which they lived, both the young woman's parents were captured and burned in accusation that they were wicked people who 'danced with the devils'. Luckily the young woman and her younger brother managed to escape the frightening break in of their home, but was only left in tears as they watched their beloved mother and father die in front of their eyes. That night, the two ran off into the woods where they found a possible salvation from a small hut within the trees. The girl took a glimpse inside and noticed the old couple's small hut and shortage of food, and found it difficult that her brother and herself would be lucky enough to get to stay. So instead, she sacrificed herself, and commanded her brother to stay with the old couple. She watched in sorrow as her brother knocked at the door, casually eyeing her back in the shrouds with uncertainty, and was welcomed in by the couple. Happy that her brother was to be safe, she continued forth to find her own salvation. 

"For many weeks, she walked in the dark musky nights outside of the country roads, hiding when the day rises, hoping to find a haven safe for her. Then one night, as she walked a steep hilly woods, something, another person, had bumped into her in the dark. At first she panicked, afraid that whoever it was knew who she was, and at the point where she turned around to run, the person grabbed her arms and kept her still. She was afraid of course, as the man held her on the wooded floor with his own weight. But before she made a muffled scream, she had heard heavy footsteps of horses, and thought to herself that maybe this man was not trying to violate her or capture her, but was only trying to keep them from getting the attention of the men on horses. 

"And so they stayed still until day break when the two officially introduced each other. The girl had never seen a man her age quite stunning as that stranger. He was about a foot taller, his eyes were a deep shade of lavender, his hair was the color of a spider's silk, and his smile seemed to brighten the world more. Although his physical looks were the only thing good to say about him since he turned out to be such an arrogant brute and lacked so much in respect to others. She had learned that the man's name was Delucard Aloicus Malfoy, and was running from his father." 

"Wait... This has happened?" Draco interrupted, his mind storing in all he information he had heard. 

Beatrix nodded her head. 

".. To a Malfoy nonetheless?" a flabbergasted Draco added. 

"Yes, to a Malfoy like yourself." Beatrix replied, her smile widening. 

Draco cocked an eyebrow, "So who's the girl? It wasn't a Granger was it?" 

At that moment, Beatrix held both her brows up as she gazed at him. 

Eyes widening with surprise, Draco's mouth gaped, "You can't be serious?! How could that have happened?! How could it have happened now?!" 

Beatrix eyed the boy in displease, "Well if you would let me finish.. perhaps I could inform you just how." 

Draco nodded, his eyes still wide, "So who is this Granger? What's her first name?" 

"Her name.. was Beatrix." she exclaimed, amused to see the boy's expression bland so suddenly. 

"You mean you, right?" Draco asked softly. 

Beatrix gave a giggle and momentarily a nod, "Beatrix Marie Granger; that is me. This has happened before, and it was with me that it happened, and are you going to shut up and let me finish?" she let out, her tone a little pestered. 

Draco waved a hand to her, signaling her to continue. 

"Okay, let's continue. Now that you know I am the girl, I'll tell it in my point of view instead. Well, anyways, after I told him who I was, he asked if I was a witch. I told him honestly that my family was accused of being witches, but I didn't quite understand who a witch really was. It was then I was first introduced to my new name for the moment, a name from him, 'Mudblood'. I didn't understand what he meant, but I knew he didn't like it. He kept calling me that and muggle, and I just wondered if I stepped into some kind of alternated universe or if this guy was completely out of his mind. And as I stood there and listened to every bicker he had with me, and me not fully understanding why he was calling me all these names and spitting it out like it was poison, I began to bicker to him also. 

"I think it was a day later that we ended our little verbal fighting and decided to move on. Although we despised one another, we did not want to separate for we felt it was safer. We stuck together, fleeting in the wooded areas at night, hiding when the sun rose from below, and by some miracle, our distaste against one another vanished into the thin air. 

"Delucard began to tell me about the wizarding world, what witches were, what muggles where, and why he had ran from home. I on the other hand began to tell him my 'muggle' life, about my village, and the tragedy of my parent's death. 

"Friendship began to blossom, and we hinted that love was nearing our relationship also. As quickly as it came, it also ended soon afterwards after we were found by a large group of horsemen whom Delucard warned me was his father's henchmen. Delucard was forced to be brought home, and through the struggle, I was brought along also. That was my first trip to the Malfoy Castle in Amsterdam. 

"It was also the first time I met Delucard's father and mother, who were completely different people. For one, his father was a highly respected Count who was not a very nice man, and sent me, 'the filthy mudblood', straight away to the dungeons with the rest of the filth. And his mother, was the most angelic woman I've ever known. The night I was held in the dungeon, she paid me a visit and brought food and clothing. 

"But that was all I saw of her after that day, for the next 4 weeks I was alone in the dungeon, drowning in pain and sorrow. And just like Hermione, I gave in to the depression I held locked inside and let out the malignant ambition I hid inside me. That's when I was separated from my most strongest and better emotions as it became a portrait itself." 

"So you also split up with your emotions and trapped it in a portrait, just like her?" Draco pointed to the quiet Hermione sitting beside Beatrix. 

Beatrix nodded, "It's the same thing, except I knew I was the real Beatrix, and that the one in the portrait was nothing but a copy with my feelings." she gave a deep long sigh, "And it's also different because.. it never got this far." 

Draco sat back up, his attention patiently waiting for the next words that would escape from the woman's lips. 

Leaning her head back, Beatrix gazed up on the portrait's ceiling, it's disturbing colors and decrepit effect shading her mood lower, "I became a servant of the Malfoy's once my powers released, a worthy accomplice that I accepted to be in order to take revenge to the cruel world. And I took in Delucard to stay on my side forever.. though he despised my new persona for he had already seen the portrait with my other soul. He did the same as you; indicating that I was not the real one and the one in the portrait was.... 

"And I felt like I lost my world." Beatrix finished the sentence softly, turning her eyes to the girl beside her with a frown, "I became delirious, and gave up my life. I killed myself to prove that I was real to him; an action I regret to do." 

"You killed yourself.. when he didn't believe you?" Draco watched as the woman slowly nodded to his question, "What happened then?" 

"I became entrapped in a portrait, as you can see, and I will be forevermore. Delucard, however, sought his mistake and also killed himself in his sorrow. When his father found out what had happened, he put a curse on the name 'Granger' that the same dark scene will repeat itself, and threw me in my portrait in the attic of the castle. It was only a century or two ago that Dumbledore requested my portrait after reading about the story of this curse. He knew during his time in Hogwarts, the curse would replay again. 

"And he was right." Beatrix finished her story, sighing a bit from all the grief she remembered she went through. Turning her eyes to the pensive boy who was now staring at his feet, possibly feeling guilty, she flashed a caring smile, "I'm glad it was Hermione it happened to; she had the courage I didn't have. Otherwise, the same thing would of happened, and the curse would never be lifted from the Granger's name." 

Draco, astonished from hearing such an incredible legacy, remained silent until he thought up of a common question, "Why haven't I heard of this story before? I am a Malfoy, you know." 

Standing up from her seat, Beatrix crossed her arms as she walked towards the small picture frames above the fireplace mantle, "Not much of the Malfoy members knew about it. They all kept it quiet after Delucard's father died; I think his mother was the one who kept it a secret." 

"Does my father know about it?" Draco continued to question. 

"No, but I think Narcissa does. She is much like Delucard's mother." she reflected as she traced the picture of Draco on the mantle; it was faded and looked almost a thousand years old. Her eyes falling into pity, Beatrix spoke softly to him a warning, "Speak truthfully, okay Draco? She knows when you are lying, and she knows what you are deeply thinking inside. You can't win this if you don't believe what your heart is telling you, trust me." 

Draco nodded in silence, his eyes wandering to the quiet Hermione in the portrait. 

"Delucard never was one to believe his heart... and look what happened to us." Beatrix appended, her eyes moving to the boy outside the portrait, "Don't let that happen again." 

§~*~§ 

"Augh Ron! Would you just knock it off?!" Harry yelled to his companion who was had been kicking the only exit of the dungeon room over and over in hopes of it to break off. He lazily eyed his flame-haired friend who eyed him with seriousness. 

"I don't get it, Harry! How can you sit there, calm and quiet, when we are in a dungeon, in a base, full of Death Eaters?!" Ron questioned wildly, throwing his hands up in the air before huffly sitting back on his corner wall. 

Dubious to answer, Harry scratched his nose and brushed the dark strands of hair hovering over his eyes, "I might be calm, Ron, but believe me, I have every intention of leaving this place as you do. But you know our chances of escaping with no help from the outside isn't really big." 

Sighing, knowing his friend was right, Ron arched his head back as he stared at the dark, low ceiling above him, "What do you think happened to Hermione?" his question came from nowhere; it surprised even him. 

Harry shrugged, "What else do you think happened? She turned evil, and works for Voldemort." 

"Don't say his name, dammit!" Ron hissed. 

"How would it matter now, Ron?! Voldemort! Voldemort! VOLDEMORT!!" Harry hissed back. 

After his words finished echoing around the room, Ron cleared his throat to speak, "Is it just me.. or are we getting more and more delirious?" 

"Well we haven't eaten in almost a day.. I guess we might be getting a little bit crazy." Harry answered back, his eyes drifting to the iron doors across from him; its small barred window that shown a sliver of light, teasing his freedom. 

"...But really, how do you think Hermione became this way?" Ron continued on his question from before as he began to prod the stone floor with a withered stick. 

Giving out an exasparated sigh, Harry grumbled and threw a couple of pebbles at the iron door, "How the hell should I know?" 

The air around them held a pause. 

"Bet you anything it's that stupid ferret, Draco. I knew it was too good to be true; her friendship with him. He was up to something." clenching the stick in his hand, Ron heaved his back to the wall and threw the stick aside, "Just wait until I get my hands on him..." 

A guttural groan coming from Harry's stomach caught the two pairs of eyes in the room. 

Face-faulting, Harry groaned, "Food!!" He sluggishly leaned his head to the rough, stone walls. 

Following him, Ron shiftlessly eased into a laying position and idly began to drum his stomach with his fingers; creating a thumping sound that filled the void between the two boys. 

"Before I start to starve to death, I'm going to eat you first, okay Ron?" Harry let out torpidly, his tone was terribly hard to understand as serious or sarcastic. 

Noting his friend's confession, figuring that the delirium were kicking in once more, Ron gave a sad laugh, "Not if I get to you first, my dear friend." 

§~*~§ 

She eyed the cute woman with golden hair, a kind smile playing across her lips. They had arrived on time and had separated to different location as planned. Her location was at a small cafe in the central area of London, along with her was Narcissa and no other. As she watched the blond woman leave with their order, she turned her eyes to gaze at the enormous clock they called 'Big Ben'. 

"It's a ten to four, my lady." Narcissa whispered in a hush as she noticed her mistress' suspicion of the time. 

Looking back to the small empty plate in front of her, Hermione nodded, "Thank you, Narcissa, but I was quite fine figuring that out myself." 

Narcissa nodded and kept quiet as the waitress came back with their orders; a cup of coffee for herself, and a glass of ice cold water for Hermione. 

Watching the young woman pick up her glass and start to gulp down her drink, then placing it down in front of her already half empty, she wondered if her mistress was nervous. 

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am." Hermione smirked at her, answering the question she caught her thinking. 

Narcissa, getting caught for thinking too much again, stuttered to apologize, "I-I'm sorry, my lady--" 

Hermione held up her hand to silence her. Shaking her head, she gave a sneering smile, "Narcissa, please calm down. It seems like you are more nervous about pleasing my authority than this mission." 

Nodding again, Narcissa forced a reassured smile on her lips, "Well, I just want to be careful around you, to make sure that whatever I do isn't anything against your rules. And yes, actually, I am more afraid what I might do to you than this mission." 

Softly grazing her fingers on the rim of her glass, Hermione let out a friendly smile, "Why is it you care so much about my well being? You barely know me." She gave a scoff and eyed the older woman in front of her with curiosity, "And.. how can you not be nervous with this mission? It's something that hasn't been done ever, in wizarding history. Well, not this big of course." 

"Simple. I know you'll do well with this plan. It's a very brilliant one indeed, very ingenius. Nothing at all that Voldemort could ever think up." at this Narcissa smiled at the sight of Hermione's soft laugh from her words, "And for your first question, it doesn't take me a long time to figure out just how wonderful a person is. The moment I first met you, I knew deep inside that you're soul wasn't crafted for evil; instead you had something else than that." 

Shocked by the older woman's words, Hermione felt the stinging lies she took in from her words; words that stood out far too much from what she really was. Fleeting her eyes, which began to rim with fresh-pained tears, to her glass, Hermione kept her mouth in a soft whisper as she commented on Narcissa's speech, 

"What was it that you saw that I had?" 

Narcissa gave a caring look, a sincere smile across her lips as she spoke, "You had a heart." 

With the biggest lie of all to her nagging her mind while the large clock a distance away struck four, Hermione stood up in silence, her eyes diverted to the horizon of the street. Within the second past the new hour, distant screams could be heard through the corners of the city. 

Noting the screams, Narcissa stood up also, and carefully eyed her mistress. 

"You are wrong, I have no heart." speaking softly to Narcissa, Hermione didn't bother to turn around to face her. Instead, she was fixed on her plan that was had already began to unfold. 

_-If I had a heart.. then why am I doing this?-_

Hermione froze on her spot as the words slipped through her mind; her 'other' was talking to her. Turning to Narcissa, commanding her to go on to asses her role in the plan, Hermione angrily walked far behind her while she communicated with her 'other'. 

_What the hell do you think you're doing? What are you doing, talking about your sissy feelings in my head?_

_-Beatrix is here and telling me that this is wrong..-_

Hermione's eyes widened in fear and shock, 

_What?! What the hell is that woman doing there?!_

_-She... she wants to help me.. Am I in trouble?-_

Abrupting her walking, Hermione stood still in fright as she slipped unconsciously into panic. 

_What is she telling you?! What is she doing?! _Hermione demanded, her eyes filling with tears. 

_-She's telling me that it'll all be okay.. she's really nice you know... she's letting me see again.-_

_No! Wait!_

At the moment, Hermione felt her eyes blur; the world around her looked as if they melted from the radiant sun above. 

"No!!! You can't do this to me!" she cried out hysterically, and without a warning she disapparated into thin air, heading back to base, for her existence was at stake.. 

§~*~§ 

-minutes before- 

"Hi Hermione, how are you?" 

Beatrix started slowly to the young woman who was still crouched silently by the west wall of the portrait. After much researching and much careful inspections, both she and Draco had decided to try and get the two Hermione back together. They were trying to get the Hermione with the real soul and emotions to understand, and maybe be willing to come back to normal. Just how they were going to try and do it was to win her trust... and take the blindfold off from her eyes. 

Draco watched, not too far from the portrait as he was assigned to stay back, to prevent the girl to run off in fright. Though, he did wish to be as close as he can, and to help, but he knew he couldn't. His heart leapt to his throat as the Hermione in the portrait spoke for the very first time. 

_"I'm... doing good."_

Her voice was fluid and eerie to the point of frightening. Nevertheless, her tone sounded so much like the Hermione he always heard through school, which made him smile. 

"Hermione, what are you doing? Why are you here?" Beatrix's calm and careful voice began to question. She crouched down before the girl, placing a hand gently on her forehead, and smiling brightly. 

_".... I don't know what I'm doing.. but I'm here because I wanted to be happy forever."_

Draco, hearing her soft voice answering sweetly and almost too innocent, absent-mindedly took a step forward, in hopes of hearing more of her voice. 

"I'm going to tell you the truth, Hermione, but I don't want you to run away okay?" Beatrix took a breath as the young woman nodded in approval, "Hermione, this is wrong, and I want to help you." 

There was a momentary pause before Hermione spoke, 

_"What's wrong?"_

Beatrix shook her head, trying to get her to understand with a different approach, "Hermione, what is your other doing now?" 

_"She's sitting on a seat, in a cafe, in London with Mrs.Malfoy. She's very sad..."_

Hearing his last name mentioned, Draco took another cautious step closer, perking his ears to listen closely. 

"Why is she sad, and what are they doing in London?" 

_"They are at London so they could kill Muggles."_

Beatrix gasped and cut her short, "What?" 

_"She thought of this great plan to kill a whole city full of Muggles who she said, sinned a lot. Then afterwards, she said she'd kill the entire Muggle population in England so to scare the Ministry of Magic into giving up before all of Europe's Muggle population dies off."_

Draco's stomach churned at how she had explained the plan; she had said it as if it was something nice, or something that was worth to be proud of; like a small child who didn't know what she was talking about. 

Pausing to take another deep breath, Beatrix continued on, "And.. why is Hermione sad?" 

_"Mrs. Malfoy said she had a heart... I... have.... no.... heart..."_

Surprised at how slow her last words came, Beatrix urged her to finish, "What is it.. what are you thinking about?" 

_"I was thinking... I really don't have a heart.. If I had a heart.. then why am I doing this? ... Is this what was wrong?"_

Beatrix nodded solemnly, and watched as the girl tighten herself more into her balled position. 

Smiling kindly, Beatrix leaned over more and placed her hands to the sides of the young girl's face, "It'll be all right, Hermione. I want to help you." she reassured as the girl flinched at her touch, "Would you like to see again?" 

_"See? You'd .. you'd help me see?"_

"Yes, would you like that?" Beatris slinked her fingers behind her head and reached for the knot of the cloth which hid her vision. 

Walking closer so that he was a good three feet away from the portrait, Draco watched with anticipation as the Hermione in the portrait willingly agreed to be literally give up. 

_"...that would be nice."_

As the cloth loosened around the young girl's head, the portrait began to slowly dissolve, indicating that she was 'waking up'. But as the cloth became close to falling loose, a loud shriek from outside halted Beatrix's fingers to a stop as she faced the woman who's eyes were crying blood. 

§~*~§ 

"Don't touch her! Don't you dare touch her!" Hermione yelled to the woman who crouched on her 'other'; the woman's hands untightening the piece of cloth which held her only life in its hands. She couldn't see it clearly, her eyes were blurred and stained red, but she could sense her 'other' running to where she stood and away from Beatrix. 

Draco watched as the real Hermione stood with both the other and Beatrix inside the portrait. He ran to the very front of the portrait and watched as the blood, streaked face Hermione began to argue with Beatrix. 

"You're trying to fucking kill me! What's wrong with you?! What did I ever do to you?!" Hermione accused wildly, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. She turned to her 'other', "And you! Don't you ever listen to her, you hear me?! She doesn't know what's going on! She's just trying to make you depressed and pitiful like you always were!" 

_"I'm sorry.. I'm so.. so.. sorry." _the other stammered, her face streaking endlessly with tears once more as the cloth around her eyes tightened itself once more. 

Feeling a natural high into disgracing her 'other', Hermione turned her full attention to her, ranting on and on, "You are nothing but a stupid Mudblood bitch without me!! You'll never get anywhere because you are too much of a loser and a geek!" 

And as the tears flowed down from the 'other', Hermione's eyes also covered itself with tears. 

Her eyes fixing into normal, no longer blurred by the draining of her powers but was now being blurred by tears, Hermione kept her sharp tongue flicking at her 'other', "No one likes you!! No one wants to be with you because you're a goddamn bore! You have nothing to give to this world.. NOTHING!!" 

_"I'm sorry Hermione..." _her other sobbed, _"I'm very sorry. I'll never do it again, I promise."_

"Get the fuck out of my sight!" Hermione screamed, and perceived as the her 'other' crawled to the back room in shame. 

Turning her eyes to the guest who had caused all this, Hermione wiped the blood mixed with tears from her cheeks, wiping off most of its presence away. She walked up to her casually, her eyes intent and dangerous as ever. 

"You're lucky you are in this portrait or else you would have been destroyed by now." she said hotly. 

"Don't think I didn't notice what you actually felt when you began to shame her just then." Beatrix replied just as hotly, "You can't hide the fact that you also felt ashamed.. I noticed the tears came out the same time your other's did." 

Hermione's face sharpened as she smirked toothly, "If you think you can get with these mind games.. think again. I'm not a goody-goody like 'she' was, and I'm not going to believe some goody-goody like you either." She turned around briskly, walking towards the front of the canvas, preparing to get out of the portrait. As much as she hated to admit, Beatrix's words struck her oddly, and the feeling she did not enjoy. 

"Don't act like you're heartless, because that's just a lie. You have a heart, and you know it.. You just don't want to say that you do." Beatrix retorted, trying to keep the girl on the edge; to get her to open up no matter how annoyed she may seemed, this Hermione was all for challenges. 

Swirling around to face her again, Hermione slit her eyes, "And who made you the 'all-knowing'? Did you study about this or something?" 

Beatrix took a step forward, "As a matter fact, I am the 'all-knowing' because it was me who started it all. This happened before, and the first time it had happened was with me. I was you." 

"Another 'mind' story? Pfft.. please, save me from the useless speech." Hermione snickered. 

"You think I'm lying?" Beatrix accused snidely. 

Hermione cocked her head to the side, "What do you think?" 

Feeling rudely denied, Beatrix crossed her arms in front of her, "Alright.. if you think I'm lying, then tell me just how true this is: 

"You are definitely not happy, although you'd like to think so. You're so-called paradise has already reached its highest point of happinness up to the point where Draco denied your existence. As much as you'd like to deny it, you are afraid of what will happen in the next day, hour, minute, and second. You are afraid whether or not someone will be there, and you are afraid if anyone would be around to care for you. That's is why you feel the need to command others and be in a higher level than most. And that's why, even if Draco did not respect you, you kept him here still. 

"You like to hide your true feelings; feelings you recieve from your other. But when some emotions get strung, you can't help but let it flow out for a couple of minutes before you could swallow it back where it came from. And no matter how hard you try, those emotions you really would like to forget, strike back at you and fall all over your face like a ton of bricks. 

"Am I right, or am I wrong?" Beatrix finished, her tone was intimidating and mocking to the girl in front of her. 

During the whole speech, Hermione tensed up, perspiration began to show up in small beads across her forehead. She gave deep slow breaths before managing to choke out, "That's not true at all.. For one, I am as happy as can be. Two...." 

Beatrix cocked an eye and carefully took another step closer to the girl, "Two...?" she urged. 

"I don't need anyone." Hermione answered, her furious eyes never leaving the woman. 

"Not even.. Draco?" Beatrix asked slowly, watching as the girl took a quick glance at the boy outside the portrait. 

Catching the young man's gray eyes, Hermione blinked in confusion just so that the urge of her eyes fleeting their direction again wouldn't occur, "Not even Draco." she said softly, her voice weakening as she responded. 

"Why do you lie?" Beatrix demanded caringly. 

Feeling hot, salty tears start to flow down her cheeks, Hermione couldn't help but feel cornered as her mind started to go haywire with indirect feelings, flashbacks of her past life, and faces and words echoing in her ears, "I don't lie!" she fought back. 

Draco, seeing the real Hermione start to shake; her eyes dimming and overflowing with tears; struggled to say something. But Beatrix had gestured him to keep quiet. How could he keep quiet when the woman he cared for was in front of him, was ready to collapse with anxiety? 

"I don't lie! Stop whatever you're trying to do now!" Hermione screamed out in a pain-inflicted voice. At that same time, her hands shot up from beside her to grasp the sides of her head, as if trying to cover her ears from an earsplitting scream. She fell to her knees with a groan, and immedietly the room began to darken itself more; the walls began to protrude grisly hands and faces that screamed obscenities to her. 

Backing away from the more frightening collage, Draco gasped out as the real Hermione began to, what it seemed like, meld into the floor. 

"What's happening, Beatrix?" Draco shouted out, and was soon aghast to see the older woman entrapped by the grisly hands in the walls, and held still against the wall. He moved his eyes back to Hermione, to find the floor already engulfed her up to her neckline. "What's happening?!!" Draco repeated. 

"I don't know! It looks like she's trying to leave the portrait!" Beatrix replied grimly as she tried to pry herself off from the gray hands coming from the walls. 

Draco fumbled his feet about, trying to think of something to do as Hermione's figure was swallowed whole by the floor. He watched in panic as the faces on the walls slipped back in, the hands following suit but the some still held onto Beatrix's body. 

As the portrait began to simmer back into its natural look, Beatrix looked around trying to spy the woman that once stood in front of her. She turned her head towards the back room only to find the copy of Hermione leaning against the doorframe with a smile on her face. 

_"You came too close Beatrix... but Hermione won't let you in ever." _the girl said, her tone teased her as she spoke, which Beatrix found quite eerie. For that moment, it seemed like this Hermione was more evil than the other. 

"Where is she?" Beatrix asked breathily, her body still pinned to the walls by still hands. She tried to jerk away, to approach the quiet girl, only to find it in vain, "Where is she?" she repeated more demanding. 

Just as she repeated her previous question, Beatrix heard Draco from out of the portrait let out a loud groan. As she looked over to him, she found herself shocked to see the real Hermione unconscious in his arms; her arms and legs limp and cascading below her. She looked straight at Draco's eyes in confusion. 

"She fell from the ceiling." he responded, his eyes wandering above him, "Right through the ceiling." 

Sighing, Beatrix moved her eyes back to the Hermione with her in the portrait; she could see that she was now crouched down with her head on her knees. Giving one last chance of trying to get out of the grasps of her arms and legs to the wall, Beatrix let out a groan when she found out that maybe she wasn't going to able to be freed until all this was over. 

"I'm not sure I like the fact that Hermione is such a curageous person anymore." she let out ironically. 

Draco let out a exasperated sigh as he carefully moved towards the bed, and gently placed the girl in his arms, onto her spot. 

§~*~§ 

She opened her eyes slowly, trying to think hard of what had happened. She found herself laying comfortably in sheets, her hands placed orderly beside her, her body wrapped warmly with a blanket. Shaking her head from the feeling of nausea, Hermione tried to sit up, but paused when she found something weighing down half of her body. 

She stiffened as a smooth voice with a warm breath tingled the right side of her face. 

"Hermione?" it called her, and immedietly her heart began to race its fastest. She knew who it was, who the voice belonged to, and didn't quite like it that he was so close to her. And for that simply odd feeling, she couldn't explain. 

Turning her eyes to her right, she came face to face with Draco who had the most anxious and convincingly guilty face. By that time, she could hear her heart pounding right against her ears. She gazed as the boy looked down at her with such sympathy that her breathing stopped immedietly possibly from flattery and shock. And her eyes wandered down his face, over his eyes, through his warm, soft lips, and she couldn't tell what exactly was happening to her. The dimmed lights made it even more considerably hard for her to stop staring and move her mouth to speak. 

Draco looked down at her oddly, thinking why the girl had not yet said a word, and why the girl looked at him the way she was. He was frustrated that maybe she was thinking... and he wanted to know what it was. He was nervous to give her his apology, and ask for another chance, because whether or not she was the real one, she still wasn't close as being the same as the Hermione he knew long ago. And still, Draco had too much will-power to know whether or not he could have a chance. 

Bringing a hand up, Draco gently smoothed his fingers over her left cheek, and prepared to whisper his apology. 

"I'm sorry..." he spoke softly and sadly, literally begging with his tone. 

Hermione continued to gaze at the boy in front of her, acting as if the words he spoke passed through her ears. Now she felt something new; she felt anger, confusion, hate, but the only one that seemed to pop out the most in her mind was admiration and sadness. Mentally she asked herself what was happening to her and why her mind was set on those feelings. She thought hard, until coming upon that maybe her other has been tampering her feelings with hers. Checking if her other was right, Hermione continued to stare silently at the boy as his fingers began to graze in a rythym against her cold skin. 

Furrowing his eyebrows down at the silent girl, Draco let out a sigh and continued to brush her cheeks gently, as he had started a minute before. He hasn't left her eyes for some time now, and was still determined to keep it there until the girl gave him an answer, or even a single word. He had to admit, her silence was killing him and his mind. By that time, his head was telling his conscience that maybe Hermione didn't forgive him, and that she hated him. His frown seemed to have gone deeper then, and without thinking he bent down to her and softly planted a sweet kiss on her lips. 

Hermione froze in her spot, she felt her body go rigid as soon as she felt his warm lips on her cold ones. The kiss was brief, and she watched as he pulled back up; his eyes still fixated on her. After that, she felt her eyes go puffy and blurred, and she felt the tears try to escape. Hermione knew something was wrong with her, for she knew the other was in no way controlling her from feeling these emotions. She hated that something was making her feel lightheaded and strangely embarrassed, but then again, the odd burning deep in her chest was very welcoming. 

She fought the tears, and gave deep sigh of relief when they did not fall. Now, so that she wouldn't feel like she needed to cry, Hermione kept her eyes down from his. She was now staring blankly at his lips. 

"I'm sorry, Hermione. Please forgive me?" he tried again, only this time he had her hand up to his face and let his cheek up on her palm. It had brought him to beg his hardest when he saw that Hermione had turned away from his eyes. He knew there was no way that the girl would ever return his affections again, but he had to try. 

Still not answering him, Draco closed his eyes and held on her hand that was on his face, tighter, "I didn't know, Hermione, that you were in front of me all along. I didn't know it was already you... I didn't know I already found you. Please, please, forgive me?" 

Hermione's eyes shot up to his face, and once again her vision was blurred with tears, this time they fell before she could look away again. The moment he had said those words, a wave of anguish had passed her. The anguish came from him. She could hear the silent berrating in his head, and she could see his face twist with so much guilt. She could feel how much he placed it in front of his mind, which only meant how hard it had an affect on his soul. 

Feeling the aura of what he felt, Hermione had a deep want to get him to stop thinking of them. Taking a deep breath, and placing her other hand on his face to catch his eyes once more, Hermione gave a slow but foolish smirk. 

"I forgave you for being an asshole to me in school. I forgave you for getting me locked up in a tower." she started, seeing his face peering at her and enlightening slowly but surely, "Give me one good reason why I wouldn't now..." 

"Because.. I brought you pain." he responded in a low voice, his eyes falling into a depression. 

Hermione brushed a hand over the small tufts of hair cascading over the top of his eyes, and sighed, "The 'pain you brought me' can't be as strong and as affective, as what you're giving me now. You never could make up a good reason." she said a little matter-of-factly, and gave a genuine smile, "I forgive you, Draco Malfoy, and I give you your third chance, because as much as I could hate you, the thought of it never entered my mind from the beginning of the day you held me close after my little.. 'Snape' incident." 

Draco finally reflected his own pleased and happy smile to her, and without another word, he bent his head down to kiss her again. This time.. it lasted until the two fell asleep in each other's arms, sharing a dream together, both hoping that tomorrow they'll still be together. 

§~*~§ 

* * *

¤Thanks to ¤   
(ch.10-11) 

**LilyAyl** - I hope you understood why Hermione has sort of 'split in two', if not please tell me so that I could clarify it more. And keep your guessing! That way I can know if people could actually hint what's going to happen next. Thank you for your reviews! very appreciated ^_^   
**kristina** - Well thank you so much! And thank you for calling it so unique ^_^ that's what I'm really aiming for.   
**fireblaze** - Oh I'm sure you can write very well ^_^. Thank you for reviewing!   
**Tinuviel Henneth** - Yes, I also think it's very surreal, but I guess that's the whole point of it being as it is a fanfic. I also hate the fact that Hermione in most fics are put in like she was some kind of coward and wouldn't go against anything, which I think is wrong because I think Hermione has so much driven qualities. And I hope you caught on that Voldemort isn't really.. laying down for her, and of course I'm not going to turn Draco into a priss.. that would be very very wrong! lol, thanks again.   
**VenusDeMilo** - Thank you , and I hope you enjoy this chapter!   
**Ally-sama **- LoL, I'll always keep going, even when its sorta' slow e.e; hehe, Thanks!!   
**PyschoAngel **- Hey no more pouting! Smile, it's a new chapter!! And whoa.. no more rash things aight? I don't want to lose such a great reader like yourself! lol Thank you!   
**porkypop **- THANK YOU SO MUCH! You always write the most nicest reviews!! As for being the next JK Rowling.. hmm.. I may be thinking of a career as writing, but I'm more devoted to being an animator. Hope your okay, now that fluff is coming back soon ^_^.. fluffy! lol thanks again!   
**Libby** - You could say Hermione is consciencly evil.. but she has normal feelings hidden deep within. Thanks for your review, I hope you enjoy this chapter!   
**jessica ferris** - lol, here's another chapter ^_^; and I'm not really sure if you've emailed me.. Anyways, Thanks a bunch!!   
**HottDramaGurl** - LoL lots of thanks to you also!! Ooh boy.. I did take too long on this chapter and I'm hoping that I don't take as much on the next.. although the next one is probably going to be as long as this one e.e;; How's your story coming along? I'm glad I can give you inspirations ^_^. Thanks again!   
**Jan McNeville** - Thanks so much for reading! lol and of course I will write more ^_^   
**Chibi-Crysti **- Narcissa is very cool.. I don't think she's mean at all ^_^. lol Thanks for liking it all, and thanks so much for your reviews! They all mean a lot to me, so thank you!   
**JoeBob1379** - I just have a question.. are you a guy? No offense or anything, I just was wondering because I don't know any guys who actually read my work when it's something like this ^_^;. Anyways, yes, now that you've made a clear point, I think I will make the NC-17 parts available to only those who wish to see it, and a revised PG-13 one to those who don't enjoy that kind of thing. Thanks for reviewing, and thanks for pointing that out!   
**Sucker For Romance** - Lol! Thanks for your review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter also! ^_^   
**Icy Stormz** - LoL! Seeing such a sweet, smart girl like Hermione turn bad is always cool! Anyways, thanks for your reviews! And this one was a bit angsty also.. hope you liked it! ^_^   
**rokusan** - FFnet being a big butthead again? Well that's alright, and I'm glad you actually tried to review again! Thanks so much for your uplifting reviews, and of course it drove me to write faster! lol, Thanks so much!!   
**Nuit D'Orchidee** - Thank you so much, Elena! And it's alright if you don't have time to review, as long as I know you really enjoy reading it and I know that you could catch the updates. The only reason why I asked to reply back on those noticies is so I could stop bothering some of the people who changed their minds ^^;. Anyways, Thanks again!   
**zombie-miho** - Lol, I'm sorry if I didn't tell you when you updated on chapter 11.. I don't remember x.x; But I hope that I did on this one. Thanks for your review, and your cookies!! They good! yumm ^_^   
**Fire Goddess** - Lol, thanks for loving my portrait, as for your fanfic, I know you updated!!! But.. did I read it? Agh.. I can't remember, so I'm going to check as soon as I can.. x.x; I can't believe I forgot! Thanks again!   
**ChaCha** - Hey, be proud to be a hopeless romantic.. it's great being one! lol, anyways, here's more! I hope you enjoy and thanks for your review!   
**Nuada** - Thank you! The portrait was a little unsettling.. but I guess it had to be because.. nevermind e.e too much info! lol, Thanks again!   
**hermioneG89** - Lol!! NC-17 isn't that scary.. but don't worry, there'll be a PG13 revision of the NC-17 scene so don't be afraid lol! Thanks for your review!   
**girl_interrupted** - LoL!! Well, it's not over with that's for sure, and you're going to have to wait and see if Hermione will be able to turn back to her normal self. An ending like that would be pretty obvious.. but you'll see ^_~ hehe.. Thanks for review!! Gladly appreciated!   
**michy*jinky** - Well thank you!! I've never gotten two thumbs waaay up! lol, Thanks again and I hope you keep enjoying.   
im not going to tell - Umm... uh.. okay.. what? Thanks though ^_^;   
**Dee Dee S**. - Aw!!! Thank you!! Your comment is so great! But it's untrue to the fact that there are many brilliant authors out there for this couple. I could name many off my head ^_^;. But I'm very flattered you think so! Thank you a whole bunch! I hope you like how this chapter went.   
**kalangitan **- Lol thank you, and I'm so sorry for the wait. Right now, I feel like the next chapter is going to come slow.. but I promise not too long e.e;; hopefully... Anyways, sorry for the cliffhangers also. But hey! I've managed to cover alot in this chapter! Thanks so much again!   
**catchytune** - Thanks!!! I'm glad you like my story, I really am! And I'm glad you give out such good reviews ^_^ Thanks!   
**Heather **- Dark is good.. lol, Thanks for your review! And look out.. it might seem to get lighter from this moment on.. it's not going to be that easy o.o lol.   
**claire **- Thanks for liking it! lol   
**Bacchus **- Aw you got so close on you guess!! lol, I hope your happy with how this is turning out so far! Glad you like it, and thanks for your review! psst.. I'm a girl lol ^_^;. Keep guessing!   
**hannah - **Lol, glad you like it!! thanks for review, and I hope you still like it ^_^   
**Makoto Almasy - **Well thank you so much for reviewing my story, and also for baking me up there with that 'jewel' girl. I consider you now one of my respected reviewers!! Thanks so much on those two nice reviews, and I'm very happy to have a reader like you! ^_^ Brit slang rulez! lol   
**jewel - **Oi.. I dealt with ya already.   
**Strife21 - ** hehe.. that's me! lol (e.e; you're losing 'em! Quick, go to the next one!)   
**tOObAd - **Thanks so much! I hope you like this chapter also!   
**EmiV - **Thanks for backing me up also! I'm glad to have readers such as yourself, and that I want to say that every one of them are very appreciative to me! Thanks so much!   
**G*Ness - **Glad you liked it so much, and I'm also glad you found that scene with Draco so funny. Lol, I believe he's very clumsy. Anyways, Thanks for the review and I hope you keep enjoying it ^_^.   
**ZaPhA - **Thanks so much!! I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you still do! Thanks again. 

Author's Note:   
Sorry for the really slow upload, but as you can see, this chapter was very long. And I expect the next chapter to as long as this one, so I apologize if the wait does get as long as this. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this one. I put a lot into it. Thank you all for your reviews!! ^___________^ --see me very happy! lol 

Well as at least one of you might know, the NC-17 chapter will be revised into another chapter that will be basically the same except PG13 so that people who wouldn't like NC-17 wouldn't miss anything. 

As for Hermione's attack on London.. it's far from over. The 'vile and hideous' plan has yet to be known. 

Thanks again faithful readers! Keep up the guesses, they're very interesting! ^_^   
(Hey, no spoilers this time! lol) 

**Special Note: If the scene in the end confuses you (ex. the part when Hermione falls through the ceiling) this is normal and will be explained at the next chapter. So if you find any confusing scenes, please refrain from pulling out your hair or doing anything rash ^^; lol. It will be explained in moment's time. Thank you** 


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